Braille Readers Are Leaders (BRL)

BRL Contest | Braille Reading Pals

Purpose

To promote the joy of reading for pleasure, to promote a pride in Braille as a viable literacy medium equal to print, and to demonstrate the importance of independent reading in the development of Braille literacy skills.

Sponsors

The program is co-sponsored by the National Organization of Parents of Blind Children (NOPBC) and the National Association to Promote the Use of Braille (NAPUB). Both organizations are affiliated divisions of the National Federation of the Blind. Organizational and corporate supporters of the program include the National Braille Press, the United Parcel Service (UPS) Foundation, and Ty Inc. (makers of Beanie Babies).

BRL Contest

Registration for the 2007-2008 Braille Readers Are Leaders Contest is now closed. Please continue to check back for more information about next year's contest, or learn more about the 07-08 contest below.

The Braille Readers Are Leaders Contest is a national contest for Braille students, kindergarten through twelfth grades. For more information about this year's newly renovated contest, see the Contest Information and Instructions file under "Print Forms" below or click the following link for an overview piece found in the November Braille Monitor: 07-08 Braille Readers Are Leaders Overview and Changes

Winners

• 2008 Winners

Online Forms

• Braille Readers Are Leaders Contest Registration Form
• After January 4th, submit the following:
  1. Braille Readers Are Leaders Contest Entry Form (For e-mail only.  Please save the completed excel spreadsheet--including the Book List contained in the Entry Form--as an attachment to your e-mail, do not copy it into the body of the e-mail. E-mail to BrailleReadersAreLeaders@nfb.org.) 
  2. Braille Leaders Community Service Award Application
  3. 2008 Jennifer Baker Award Application
  4. Twin Vision^® Award Application

Print Forms

• Braille Readers Are Leaders Contest Information and Instructions (pdf file) 
• Braille Readers Are Leaders Contest Registration Form (pdf file) 
• After January 4th, submit the following:
  1. Braille Readers Are Leaders Contest Entry Form (pdf file) 
     Note: The Book List and Reading Log are found on the Entry Form
  2. Braille Leaders Community Service Awards Form (pdf file)
  3. Braille Readers Are Leaders Twin Vision^® Awards Form (pdf file)
  4. Braille Readers Are Leaders Jennifer Baker Awards Form (pdf file)

Schools for the Blind Recognition

Residential or day schools for the blind that enroll a significant percentage of their students in the contest and in other ways promote Braille literacy and the Braille Readers Are Leaders program during the contest period receive a special certificate suitable for framing and public display. 

Braille Reading Pals 

Braille Reading Pals is an early literacy program that gently encourages and rewards parents for reading daily with their blind or low vision children ages 0-7 (or older if the children have developmental delays) who are not yet reading. Sponsored by the Jernigan Institute, this free two-month program begins November 1 and concludes December 31. Click the following link to obtain registration forms and for more information about the program: Braille Reading Pals overview and registration.

If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for the NOPBC pages, please send an e-mail to ParentOutreach@nfb.org with "NOPBC Web site" in the subject.