Braille Institute Crowns Winners of 2026 International Finals

The finalists emerged from a pool of over 2,000 competitors representing Australia, Canada, Ireland, Kenya, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Contestants faced rigorous testing across five categories—reading comprehension, spelling, speed and accuracy, proofreading, and tactile charts—divided into levels ranging from Apprentice to Varsity. Dimitri Kales, CEO of the Braille Institute, emphasized that these skills remain a critical gateway to independence and long-term employment, noting that 90% of employed blind adults are proficient braille readers.

The competition recognized top performers across multiple brackets, including Charity B. from Louisiana, who took first place in the Apprentice category, and EmmaGrace O. of Texas, who secured the top spot in Varsity. Specialized honors were also awarded: Luise S. of Maryland received the award for excellence in spelling, Salome C. of Missouri earned top marks in reading comprehension, and California’s Kai W. was presented with the Harley Fetterman Award for excellence in charts and graphs.