25th annual Braille Challenge kicks off in Des Moines
DES MOINES, Iowa – The 25th annual Braille Challenge kicked off in Des Moines Saturday morning.
The Braille Challenge is the only academic competition of its kind in North America for students who are blind or have low vision. The Braille Institute developed this challenge to motivate students to practice their braille literacy skills.
Any student in grades 1 through 12 who is blind or has low vision and who can read and write braille is eligible to participate. This year there are 14 students from across Iowa that are taking part in the challenge.
Students are tested in five categories:
Reading comprehension
Spelling
Speed and accuracy
Proofreading
Charts and graphs
Hundreds of students throughout the United States and Canada will be testing between January and March. Only the top 50 students (10 from each category) will be invited to the two-day national competition in Los Angeles.
While this is the 25th year the challenge has been taking place in Iowa, this is the 19th year the Iowa Library for the Blind and Print Disabled is hosting the event.
Denise Bean is the Youth Services Librarian who said the best part is seeing the students enjoy the challenge.
Iowan Nathan Deeds has won the competition the last five years. This year, he is in college and won't be competing in the challenge, but he is the keynote speaker at the event.
The theme for the 2025 Braille Challenge is Blast Off with Braille and it is included on this year's t-shirt design. The design was created by one of the students competing in the challenge.
The Iowa Library for the Blind and Print Disabled is selling the t-shirt and all of the proceeds will help benefit the library and future Braille Challenges.
On Saturday, they are also celebrating 100 years of the Iowa Department for the Blind.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Yahoo
Jamie Foxx To Be Honored As Ultimate Icon At 2025 BET Awards
Jamie Foxx is set to be recognized with one of the night's top honors at the 2025 BET Awards. The acclaimed actor and performer was named one of this year's Ultimate Icon Award recipients on Wednesday (May 28). According to a press statement, the award is bestowed upon talent in celebration of their decades of groundbreaking contributions to music, entertainment, advocacy, and community impact. Alongside Foxx, Mariah Carey, Kirk Franklin, and Snoop Dogg will also be honored at the annual award show. Past recipients of the Ultimate Icon award included Janet Jackson (2015), Deborah L. Lee (2018), and Tyler Perry (2019). With the honor, Carey, Franklin, and Snoop Dogg are also set to perform on the June 9 show, with previously announced sets from Lil Wayne, Teyana Taylor, GloRilla, Playboi Carti, and Leon Thomas. As far as nominations for the 25th annual BET Awards go, Kendrick Lamar is in the lead with 10 potential wins at the black-tie affair. He is followed by Doechii, Drake, Future, and GloRilla, who are all tied with six nominations, Metro Boomin with five, and SZA and The Weeknd, tied with four nominations each. BET has also previously announced that it will celebrate the 25th anniversary of the music video countdown show 106 & Park with former hosts AJ Calloway, Free Marie Wright, Julissa Bermudez, Keshia Chanté, Rocsi Diaz, and Terrence J reuniting on stage. The tribute will feature performances from previous host and Mr. 106 & Park, Bow Wow, Amerie, B2K, Jim Jones, Mya, T.I., and more. The 2025 BET Awards are set to air live on Monday, June 9, on BET at 8 pm ET/PT. 'I love a celebration! It's a chance to reflect, cherish, and honor life's unforgettable moments,' explained host Kevin Hart. 'I'm truly honored to host the 25th BET Awards and celebrate the culture's biggest night. This year marks the 25th anniversary, and my partners at Hartbeat, BET, and JCE are pulling out all the stops to make it a night to remember. It's a black-tie affair, and you're all invited. Tune in live on June 9th, only on BET.' View the full BET Experience 2025 and BET Awards schedule below and learn more details on the official website. Thursday, June 5: BET Experience: Buju Banton Thursday, June 5 – June 6: WayMaker Men's Summit Saturday, June 7 – June 8: BETX 2025 FanFest Sunday, June 8: A Roots Picnic Experience: Class of '95 featuring The Roots, Lil' Kim, Redman & Method Man, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, Raekwon, Goodie Mob, E-40, DJ Quik, and Havoc Sunday, June 8: Jagged Edge, Donell Jones, and Eric Bellinger with a special R&B ONLY set featuring Tiára Monique and JABARI. Monday, June 9: 2025 BET Awards More from Jamie Foxx Exclaims "Puffy Didn't Try To Kill Me" After Rumored Conspiracy Snoop Dogg Claims He "Bought Everything" Suge Knight Owns On New Song Snoop Dogg Responds To Warren G's Claims Of Being Left Out: "It's Pain We've Never Fully Addressed"
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Yahoo
Iowan and her bell play key role in Scripps National Spelling Bee
WEST DES MOINES, Iowa — The Scripps National Spelling Bee is celebrating a major milestone: 100 years. For the past century, kids participating in the bee have captured the nation's attention and hearts with buzz-worthy moments. An Iowan has a front row seat to the action, and a big responsibility when it comes to crowning the winner. Mary Brooks is the head judge and has been since 2005. 'My main role is listening,' Brooks said. 'We have a panel of judges. We work together, but it is my voice that you hear, and it is my hand you see on that bell. The final decision comes when I either say 'that's correct' or I ring the bell.' Birdsall's serving cold sweet treats for 94 years in Mason City The bell that lets spellers know when they misspell a word has a story of its own. 'It has become the sound of the bee,' Brooks said. Brooks inherited it from her late mother-in-law. 'There are Civil War dates engraved in it,' Brooks explained, 'so we know it has a history.' History that's meaningful to the long-standing event. 'I like the way it looks,' Brooks said. 'It represents history and that some things in our past do last. They do go on.' And symbolic of Brooks' involvement. 'When I didn't go in 2014 was when I forgot that the bell still needed to go,' Brooks recalls. 'The bell wasn't there and they were using the generic bell, which I have one of those downstairs too. They don't sound anything alike. And there were more comments. They had explained my absence, but they were really more comments about where's the bell? They didn't realize it was my personal bell… So the bell, I know is probably more recognizable than I am.' It's not hard to recognize Brooks' loyalty to the bee: seen in her home, on her clothes, even dangling from her ears. This 'queen bee' started with Scripps National Spelling Bee after graduating from high school, when her uncle James H. Wagner was the executive director. 'And he offered me to come into Washington and serve on the staff, college staff,' Brooks said. 'And I just got hooked on it.' Unexpected pub in Des Moines brings guests of all ages together Hooked for more than 50 years because of the kids. 'They are wordsmiths at the best because it isn't just about the spelling,' Brooks expressed. 'The competition is, but it's so much more about their vocabulary, which is part of the competition as well. And for me, any activity that allows young people to take their passion and their skills and have success is important to me.' Important for this retired teacher from West Des Moines, who says it's more than students memorizing the dictionary. 'I value language and words. I value literacy and reading,' Brooks said, 'and spelling is all a part of that.' It's the next generation inspiring society. One example is the winner from 2021, the comeback bee after it was canceled in 2020 due to COVID. The winning word at the 2021 Scripps National Spelling Bee was 'Murraya.' Zaila Avant-garde, a 14-year-old from Harvey, Louisiana, was tasked with spelling the word 'Murraya.' 'She said, 'is it related to the American comedian [Bill Murray]?' I mean she asked that,' Brooks recalled. 'And so instantly, I just got a chuckle. It had nothing to do with Murray, but she was making the connection.' The comical connection led to her spelling the word correctly to win the competition. 'For that brief moment, the world turned right side up again. This is it. We're back to normal. Just gives me goosebumps!' Mary exclaimed. The victories are always more enjoyable than the losses. In the last few years, Brooks has made the misspellings more bearable by providing words of encouragement when a speller misses a word. 'And it felt so much better than watching them stand there, hear the bell, hear the spelling, the correct spelling of the word, and then dejectedly walk off the stage,' Brooks said. 'So it started small, but it became – the bee team has labeled it 'Mary's Moments.'' Ankeny mother-daughter teaching duo seeks to set new standard of inclusion Moments that allow her to remind spellers of why they participate: 'It is an experience that you can't ever take away from them. And it will always serve them well in whatever direction they choose to go.' An experience you can watch at home. 'It is reality television. You have no idea what's going to happen when you put kids on stage. Anything can happen,' Brooks explains. And take something away too. 'The symbol of the bee is so relevant because that bee flies even though it shouldn't be able to,' Brooks said. 'So, we often use that as an example with the kids. There's nothing to stop you. Just because somebody says you can't or you don't think you can, you can! A lesson that's been taught for 100 years and counting. The semifinals take place Wednesday night, and the champion will be decided Thursday night. You can watch the two-night special on the ION television channel or learn more by visiting the Scripps National Spelling Bee's website. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Yahoo
UL Lafayette Spring 2025 graduation ceremonies
LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY) — Graduation season is upon us as students of University of Louisiana at Lafayette are gearing up for celebrations for earning their graduate and undergraduate degrees. The Ceremonies will be held on Friday and Saturday at the Cajundome and the Cajundome Convention Center. A schedule and locations for individual ceremonies are listed below. Friday, May 169 a.m. – College of Engineering 1 p.m. – College of Liberal Arts9 a.m. – College of the Arts 1 p.m. – University College Saturday, May 179 a.m. – Ray P. Authement College of Sciences 1 p.m. – B.I. Moody III College of Business Administration9 a.m. – College of Education & Human Development 1 p.m. – College of Nursing & Health Sciences Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now All Ceremonies are open to the public and tickets are not required. Members of the public who plan to attend ceremonies are asked to park at Cajun Field. The University's clear bag policy will be in place. Attendees can carry one clear bag, such as a one-gallon clear storage bag, or a small clear purse or clutch. The university informs attendees that police officers will examine bags and purses at all entrances. Spring 2025 Commencement ceremonies will be livestreamed via links on the Cajundome's website. The individual ceremonies will also be livestreamed on the Facebook pages of seven academic colleges. Ceremonies for two, the College of the Arts and University College, will be livestreamed on UL Lafayette's main Facebook page. For more information, attendees are asked to visit the University's Commencement website. Students and parents with questions can also email graduation@ Latest news Judge gives IRS green light to share migrants' taxpayer information with ICE First grader named 2025 Braille Challenge finalists Inflation rose in April, reversing March decline Republican tax bill would add $3.7 trillion to the national deficit: JCT City of Scott closed Tuesday morning to honor longtime Mayor Hazel Myers Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
