NYSAER BRAILLE CHALLENGE SCHOLARSHIP
March 1, 2016
Dear Colleagues,
In 2008, NYSAER began supporting Braille Challenge winners in New York State who were selected to participate in the Braille Challenge finals in Los Angeles, by offering mini-grant scholarships to students. The National Braille Institute sponsors the annual Braille Challenge program, which is an academic contest designed to motivate school-age Braille readers to excel in reading and writing Braille.
Regional events are held in Batavia, Long Island,at the NY Institute for Special Education, as well as students participating at their home schools. Each student competing in the Challenge completed a variety of tests in both Braille reading and writing skills. The NYSAER chapter membership recognizes the importance of students with visual impairments learning Braille as well as the professionals who teach Braille literacy to students.
New York State Association for the Educations and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired (NYSAER) is pleased to announce a scholarship program for students who are eligible to attend the Braille Challenge Competition Finals is Los Angeles in June 2016.For more information about the Braille Challenge Competition Finals please visit
NYSAER will be awarding up to $250.00 for a student(s) to help financethe cost of expenses when attending the competition.
Please pass this information along to your student(s) who qualify for the finals in Los Angeles. If you know of students who participated in the Braille Challenge competition with their TVIs in their home schools, please pass this information along to them or let me know the name and email of the TVI in order for me to send them this information.
Sincerely,
Chelsea Hale
Chelsea Hale
AER Board Member
NEW YORK STATE ASSOCIATION FOR EDUCATION AND REHABILITATION OF THE BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED NYSAER
Braille Challenge finals in Los Angeles
Scholarship Application
(Page 1 of 2)
Application Deadline:Friday, May 20th, 2016
Name: (Last)______(First)______(M)______
Address:______
City:______
Sex: M or F Date of Birth: ______/______/______Age:______
Home Phone:______
Parent/Guardian Name(s):______
Teacher for the Visually Impaired (TVI):______
TVI Contact Information (e-mail or phone number with area code):______
Are you applying for any other funding to finance your trip to the Braille Challenge Finals? If so, please name the sources:
Check the Contest Level you are representing at the Braille Challenge Finals:
_____ Apprentice (Grade 1-2) ______Junior Varsity (Grade 7-9)
_____ Freshman (Grades 3-4) ______Varsity (Grades 10-12)
_____ Sophomore (Grades 5-6)
All answers for questions can be written below, typed or Brailled on a separate sheet.
1. List any school and/ or community activities in which you have participated during the past two years (i.e. student government, music, community, volunteer activities, etc.)
(Page 2 of 2)
2. How has learning to read and write Braille helped you achieve in school?
3. Students will be expected to share his/her most memorable experiences with other teachers and students in New York state after attending the Braille Challenge Finals. How would you plan on doing this?
If your child is chosen to receive this scholarship, NYSAER would like to recognize them by sharing their photograph on our website and at our annual professional conference. Please provide your signature of approval on the line below prior to submitting the application.
Name of Student: ______Signature: ______Date: ______
Please send the completed application to no later than Friday, May 20th, 2016.
Chelsea Hale
1764 Broadway Rd
Darien Center, NY 14040
Phone: 585-813-3769
E-mail: