Edmonton student to represent Canada at 2020 Braille Challenge Finals
Steve Kiema has been spending his summer getting ready for the 2020 Braille Challenge Finals, the only academic competition for North American students who are blind or visually impaired.
Only 50 students take part in the annual event and this year, Kiema is one of three Canadians (including one other Albertan) to take part in the event that motivates kids to improve their braille literacy skills.
The 12-year-old, who is visually impaired, made it to the North American finals after getting one of the top-10 high scores in all four categories at the regional event earlier this year.
"I was very nervous and never did it before. Didn't know what to expect," he told CBC's Edmonton AM on Monday.
Since then, Kiema has been studying reading material from previous competitions to get ready for what he expects will be a more challenging event.
But Kiema has always been a eager learner.
He started learning braille in kindergarten and by Grade 4, he was learning advanced braille, including contractions and shortcuts for words.
The 2020 Braille Challenge Finals will challenge his and his competitors' skills in five categories: Reading comprehension, spelling, speed and accuracy, proofreading, and charts and graphs.
Kiema said he's both nervous and excited to compete.
"I felt that I'd try something new and see what the experience was like. Even if I didn't win, I'd try my best," he said.
This year's event will look different as competitors will not be traveling to California for the competition because of COVID-19 health and safety concerns.
Instead, Kiema and others will be tested remotely. Kiema will take the test Thursday at Edmonton's Louis St. Laurent school, which he'll attend this fall.
But he'll have to wait a few more weeks to see how he scored, with the winners announced at the final awards ceremony on July 31.
Win or lose, Kiema offered some wise words for other students looking to improve their literary skills.
"Just keep persevering and do your best."
