New England Regional Braille Challenge

Since 2001, The Carroll Center has hosted the New England Regional Braille Challenge where students grades 1-12 are tested on their Braille literacy skills and compete to attend a National event in California in June. There are regional events across the United States and Canada country with over 1000 students competing. The top sixty scorers will be invited to compete in the Braille Challenge Finals in California in June. Students compete in individual age groups in such categories as spelling, reading comprehension, proofreading, speed & accuracy and charts & graphs while their parents and guests attend workshops and networking events.

All students receive prizes and a brailled certificate of participation to acknowledge their achievement in becoming skilled readers and writers of braille. In addition, the top scorers in each of the five age groups receive special recognition for their performance.

This event is made possible by the generous gifts of time and resources from our many volunteers and donors.

In addition, recipients of the CarrollKids Award for Teacher Excellence are announced.

For more information regarding the Braille Challenge, visit www.brailleinstitute.org or contact Dr. Karen Ross at Karen.ross@carroll.org.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the next New England Regional Braille Challenge?

The next New England Regional Braille Challenge will be held on March 3rd, 2012 from 9AM – 3PM. View our Save the Date.

How do I register?

Complete the form at the bottom of this page to start the registration process.

Who should attend?

Students in grade 1-12 who currently use, or are learning to use braille as their primary medium for reading and writing are welcome to register.

Is there a fee to participate?

There is no charge for students to attend, however, guests are charged a nominal fee.

Other than student testing, what else takes place on the day of the Challenge?

Workshops and exhibits are offered for parents, teachers and guests while students are participating in the test in the morning. An Awards Ceremony takes place in the afternoon to recognize all the participants.

How can I support the Braille Challenge?

You may support the Challenge in a number of ways, such as volunteering on the day of the event, donating goods or services as prizes for contestants, or contributing to the Carroll Center’s Literacy Fund which covers all expenses associated with the event.

2012 Winners

You can see the winners of the 2012 New England Regional Braille Challenge posted on our 2012 Challenge Results page. You may also wish to read our post announcing the winner of the CarrollKids Award for Teacher Excellence.

Pre-Registration Form