Putting their Braille skills to the test

Eric Miller of Lithia gives his son Jon, 8, a kiss on the cheek after typing out how much he loved him and how proud he was that he has learned Braille, as well as wishing him good luck today. [MELISSA LYTTLE | Times]

TAMPA -- Twenty blind and visually impaired students from Hillsborough, Orange, Pasco, Pinellas and Polk counties met today at the West Central Florida Regional Braille Challenge to test their Braille skills.
The challenge, sponsored by Braille Institute of America, is designed to encourage blind children of all ages to fine-tune their Braille skills. It is being held at the Tampa Lighthouse for the Blind.

It's part of a national academic competition for blind students.

Participants will compete in five categories requiring them to transcribe, type and read Braille. Students' Braille skills are evaluated in several areas --  reading comprehension, Braille spelling, tactile chart and graph reading, proofreading, and Braille speed and accuracy.

- Melissa Lyttle, Times staff writer


Matthew Dowell, 14, of Apopka goes over his work in the Proofreading competition during one of five tests in the Braille Challenge. [MELISSA LYTTLE | Times]