Corona – Sheema Shaikh, incoming 7th grade Citrus Hills Middle School student, recently participated in the Braille Institute’s 2021 Braille Challenge Finals. This year, they took place virtually on Wednesday, June 30. The results and awards ceremony will be held on July 30.
On her last week as a 6th grader at Foothill Elementary, Sheema and her family were notified that she was invited to the 2021 Braille Challenge Finals, as one of the 50 students who won the regionals, held in March. There are 10 students in each grade category. Of the 50, three are from Southern California, each in a different category.
Sheema is in the sophomore category for 5th & 6th graders. This is Sheema's third time at the Braille Challenge Finals. She loves the competition with her peers, and she looked forward to the challenge for which she has worked so hard to prepare.
The Braille Challenge is the only academic competition of its kind, held each year in North America for students who are blind or visually impaired. It was developed by Braille Institute to motivate students to practice and hone their braille literacy skills, which are essential to academic success. Sheema was tested in four areas: Reading Comprehension, Speed and Accuracy (transcribing an audio file into braille text), Proofreading (including grammar, punctuation, spelling, and braille rules), and analysis of Charts & Graphs.
In addition to her academic accomplishments, Sheema was also the Presidential Award recipient during her last year at Foothill Elementary. During Sheema’s instructional school day, which includes GATE classes, she also receives instruction and support from the CNUSD Vision Department. This includes braille instruction, technology lessons to utilize a braille notetaker, use of special software to use the laptop, as well as Orientation & Mobility services for safe travel with the white cane, and maintaining an A in all subjects.
Congratulations to Sheema! We are so proud.