Congratulations to the 2023-2024 Winners of the Braille Readers Are Leaders Contest
March 2, 2024: In recognition of Read Across America Day, we are excited to announce the first, second, and third place top readers of the American Action Fund for Blind Children and Adults Braille Readers Are Leaders Contest. Thank you to all the participants who made this a fantastic contest.
Learn about our top readers, the grand prize winners, and the total amount of minutes read.
Here are the 2023-2024 Braille Readers Are Leaders Winners:
Youth Winners
K – 1st Grade
1st Place – Sawyer D. of New York 6,467 minutes
Tied for 1st Place – Zachary D. of New York 6,467 minutes
2nd Place – Max T. of Maine 1,496 minutes
3rd Place – Sawyer S. of Georgia 1,175 minutes
2nd – 3rd Grade
1st Place – Luise S. of Virginia 2,590 minutes
2nd Place – Mila C. of California 2,147 minutes
3rd Place – Zayden W. of Florida 1,837 minutes
4th – 5th Grade
1st Place – Shaindel E. of New Jersey 3,080 minutes
2nd Place – Maeve E. of Utah 3,000 minutes
3rd Place – Zora W. of New York 1,755 minutes
6th – 8th Grade
1st Place – Narjis K. of Louisiana 7,204 minutes
2nd Place – Gabriel W. of Florida 5,250 minutes
3rd Place – Freya S. of Kentucky 3,557 minutes
9th – 12th Grade
1st Place – Sierra C. of Tennessee 14,820 minutes
2nd Place – Amare L. of North Carolina 6,260 minutes
3rd Place – Samaija B. of Tennessee 2,936 minutes
Adult Contest Winners
Adult Novice
1st Place – B.J. Snyder of New York 13,910 minutes
2nd Place – Alfonso Simental of Colorado 12,360 minutes
3rd Place – Arianna Elizabeth Del Bene of New York 10,035 minutes
Adult Intermediate
1st Place – Robert Gardner of Illinois 8,366 minutes
2nd Place – Joseph Giacinto of Arizona 8,000 minutes
3rd Place – Karen Larsen of South Dakota 7,523 minutes
Adult Expert
1st Place – Angela Randall of Ohio 18,840 minutes
2nd Place – Cassandra Xavier of Massachusetts 18,774 minutes
3rd Place – Anna Trotman of Alabama 18,240 minutes
Teachers
1st Place – Meliza Lorenzo of Florida 4,067 minutes
2nd Place – Debbie Wright of Florida 2,510 minutes
3rd Place – Sarah Savell of Louisiana 2,032 minutes
Congratulations!
Thank you to all participants and supporters. There will be another Braille Readers Are Leaders contest during the 2024-2025 school year. The American Action Fund for Blind Children and Adults is pleased to partner with the National Federation of the Blind to strengthen Braille literacy and to create opportunities to put Braille in the hands of blind children and adults.