Congratulations to the 2025-2026 Winners of the Braille Readers Are Leaders Contest
March 2, 2026: 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.
Here are the 2025-2026 Braille Readers Are Leaders Winners:
Youth Winners
K – 1st Grade
Gold: Sophia S- LA- 499 minutes
Silver: Beau B - VA - 161 minutes
Bronze: Ariana VB - DE - 60 minutes
2nd – 3rd Grade
Gold: Sawyer S - GA - 2, 815 minutes
Silver: Mayeson G - IL - 1,310 minutes
Bronze: Charity B - LA - 934 minutes
4th – 5th Grade
Gold: Juniper E - NY - 3,727 minutes
Silver: Elizabeth C - MN - 3,504 minutes
Bronze: Mila C - CA - 2,746 minutes
6th – 8th Grade
Gold: Narjis K - LA - 7,551 minutes
Silver: Gabriel W - FL - 7,380 minutes
Bronze: Zora W - NY - 3,091 minutes
9th – 12th Grade
Gold: Nadiya A - OH - 3,350
Silver: Mae LK - VT - 2,116 minutes
Bronze: Jasmine E - WA - 2,018 minutes
Adult Contest Winners
Adult Novice
Gold: BJ Snyder - NY - 6,464 minutes
Silver: Ezzie Davis - CA - 5,773
Bronze: Marsha Summers - FL - 2,223
Adult Intermediate
Gold: Dawn Chambers - IL - 9,195 minutes
Silver: Emily Boney - LA - 9,185 minutes
Bronze: Karen Larson - SD - 7,623 minutes
Adult Expert
Gold: Shane Popplestone - OH - 25,900 minutes
Silver: Mary Hu - CA - 25,503 minutes
Bronze: Anna Trotman - 20,140 minutes
Teachers
Gold: Sharon Clark - NJ - 4,725 minutes
Silver: Alyson Romine - TX - 3,721 minutes
Bronze: Krystal Guillory - LA - 1,815 minutes
Grand Prize Drawing!
Thank you to the American Printing House for the Blind for the generous donations for the following grand prizes.
Youth Grand Prize Chameleon 20 from American Printing House goes to Axel B. of WA
Adult Grand Prize Mantis Q40 from American Printing House goes to Marsha Summers of FL
Congratulations!
Thank you to all participants and supporters. There will be another Braille Readers Are Leaders contest during the 2025-2026 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.