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’s 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 tryout their Braille skills.

The challenge, sponsored by
Braille Institute of America, is designed to inspire 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 by his work in the Proofreading competition during one of five
tests in the Braille Challenge. [MELISSA
LYTTLE | Times]

Original post by Times Editor