Reading with heart: a student’s start to her braille journey

Raegan Kertz participates in Regional Braille Challenge.

Raegan Kertz, a kindergartner from Ehrman Crest Elementary School, joined five other students from the Midwestern Intermediate Unit IV to participate in the Regional Braille Challenge, hosted by the AIU3. Having recently begun learning braille, Raegan excelled in the foundational level of the competition.

Open to students from Pre-K through 12th grade, this regional event offered a fun and encouraging environment where students could showcase their braille literacy skills. Beyond the competition, participants had the opportunity to connect with peers, celebrate their achievements and engage in a variety of hands-on activities. Students explored braille resources and enjoyed tactile experiences such as making braille bracelets, coloring raised line drawings, building with braille Legos and much more.

“Raegan is a dual media reader (learning both braille and print) and has only been studying braille for about four months,” said Ms. Jessica Sloan, Midwestern Intermediate Unit (MIU) IV teacher of the visually impaired. “It’s truly remarkable how much progress she has made in such a short time — she’s already able to keep up with her peers! This event also gave her a wonderful opportunity to meet other students her age with similar vision needs, and she quickly became a little social butterfly, making new friends. She really shined the entire day!”

The Regional Braille Challenge celebrated learning, creativity and community, leaving students inspired and excited to continue their braille journey.