A blind seventh grader from Berkeley competed in the national Braille Challenge Finals in Los Angeles this weekend, winning first place in the “Charts and Graphs” category.
Kai Wang is one of only 50 competitors and the only one from California in the challenge. The competition tests the ability to read, comprehend and write braille.
Technology has led to a decrease in the use of braille over the years, but Wang believes it still serves an important role in the visually impaired community.
“I think braille is important because its literacy. It helps people learn not only reading and writing. But all other subjects, math, science, even music. And I think it’s also, very important to meet other people who value braille literacy as much as I do in this event,” he said.
Kai, who is 13 years old, goes to Longview Middle School.
According to his parents, he is the first braille-only student to enroll in Berkeley public schools in decades.
Wang spoke with NBC Bay Area’s Garvin Thomas about his participation. Watch the full interview in the video above.
NBC Bay Area staff
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