The Braille Challenge is a national competition for school-aged youth who read and write braille. Created by the Braille Institute, it offers students a fun and motivating opportunity to strengthen essential braille skills that support academic success, confidence, and independence. Through a series of timed contests, participants practice reading comprehension, proofreading, spelling, tactile graphics, and speed and accuracy—all in a supportive and spirited environment. The top 50 students with the highest scores across North America will be invited to the annual Braille Challenge finals competition in Los Angeles!

Event Details

In-Person: Saturday, February 28, 2026 (Snow Date: Saturday, March 7, 2026) | 9:00 A.M. to 3:00 P.M. ET

Location: The Carroll Center for the Blind, 770 Centre Street, Newton, MA 02458

Virtual: Saturday, February 7, 2026 | 9:00 A.M. to 3:00 P.M. ET

Why Participate in the Braille Challenge?

The Braille Challenge is more than a competition—it’s a celebration of braille literacy and the vibrant community that surrounds it. Students and families join us each year because:

• It builds confidence through hands-on practice with key braille skills.
• It creates community, bringing together students, families, teachers, and mentors from across the region.
• It’s exciting and fun, with a full day of activities, challenges, and opportunities to connect.
• It inspires growth, whether a student is just beginning on their braille journey or preparing for more advanced contests.
• It offers connection and encouragement, reminding students that they’re part of a supportive community that values braille readers of every level.

Activity Highlight

We are so happy to welcome Bricks for the Blind (BFTB) to this year’s Braille Challenge to do a fun activity with the participants in the afternoon! BFTB is a non-profit organization bringing the joy of building LEGO® sets to people who are blind or visually impaired.

By following BFTB’s free Text-based Building Instructions, visually-impaired people can enjoy the excitement and thrill of building amazing things that they couldn’t build before. People everywhere love building LEGO sets; unfortunately, blind people can’t follow the pictorial instructions that come with each set. However, using assistive technologies like magnifiers and screen readers, visually-impaired people can use BFTB’s Text-based Instructions to guide them through the build.

As miniature replicas of real and imaginary things, LEGO sets help blind people “see” landmarks that are too large to touch, like the Tower Bridge or Hogwarts Castle. When blind people build marvels with their own hands, there’s an “aha” moment that they can’t get from just reading about them.

Special Guest Speaker: Tim Vernon

We are thrilled to welcome Tim Vernon, a former Braille Challenge champion, as our featured speaker. Tim will share his experiences growing up as a braille reader, how the Braille Challenge shaped his confidence, and the role braille continues to play in his adult life—personally, professionally, and academically. His story is a powerful reminder of how important foundational braille literacy is for long-term independence and success.

Contact Information

For questions, please contact Cynthia Messenger at cynthia.messenger@carroll.org

Thank You To Our Sponsors!