We are thrilled to share that Belen Lopez-Santos has earned 1st place in Ohio’s Braille Challenge, Varsity Level (10th-12th grades), an incredible achievement that highlights not only skill, but dedication, perseverance, and a true love of learning. Competing against students from across the state, she demonstrated outstanding abilities in reading comprehension, proofreading, speed and accuracy, and tactile graphics—no small feat! Not only did she win 1st in Ohio, but she also placed in the top 10 among all participating students from the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Ireland, and Canada!
The Braille Challenge is the only academic competition of its kind - designed to motivate students who are blind or visually impaired to strengthen essential literacy skills. Rising to the top at the state level places Belen among the very best—and now, her journey continues.
Next month, Belen will travel to Los Angeles to compete in The Braille Challenge Finals, representing Ohio on a much bigger stage. A bid to Finals is an extraordinary honor and a rare opportunity to connect with other top Braille readers from across the country.
Achievements like this don’t happen overnight. They are built through countless hours of practice, determination, and support from teachers, family, and the school community. We couldn’t be prouder of the hard work and commitment that brought her to this accomplishment.
So as Belen prepares for the next round—we’ll be cheering her on every step of the way!
