Brilliant in Braille
S.F. teen awaiting results after competing in national finals of competition for visually impaired.
Carolina Vigil takes pride in eclipsing other people’s expectations. When she isn’t dancing with Los Niños de Santa Fe y Compania, a local youth folklórico troupe, or taking horseback riding lessons with her aunt, the teen is practicing Braille.
Up until early July, she was honing her skills with hopes of thrashing the competition in the 2020 Braille Challenge Finals.
Carolina, 16, a rising junior at Santa Fe High School, was one of two New Mexico students to qualify for the final round of the one-of-a-kind academic competition.
Organized by the Braille Institute of America in Los Angeles, the contest is designed to motivate visually impaired K-12 students to develop their Braille literacy skills.
While 50 contestants from across North America normally meet for the big event at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, the COVID19 pandemic forced a change in plans. Carolina, and Faith Switzer of Los Lunas, the other New Mexico finalist, competed from their homes earlier this month.
Carolina is no stranger to the competition’s intensive testing. She began participating when she was 9 and qualified as a finalist in 2016.
She was up for this year’s challenge. “A lot of people are like, ‘Oh, you’re blind. You can’t dance. Oh, you’re blind. You can’t do this,’ ” Carolina said. “My greatest strength is my determination. I’m doing stuff that people probably wouldn’t expect a blind person to be doing. I find my way around any obstacle.”
Her parents, Peter and Maria Vigil, touted her ambition.
“We are so proud of her with all of the stuff she has been doing,” Peter Vigil said. “She wants to be a lawyer. She is accomplishing a lot and is a very smart and a very kind person to everyone who meets her. … I can’t wait to see what the future brings for her. I hope she is a very tough lawyer one day.”
“A lot of people are like, ‘Oh, you’re blind. You can’t dance. Oh, you’re blind. You can’t do this.’ My greatest strength is my determination.” Carolina Vigil, Santa Fe High student
The Braille Challenge tests students on fundamental skills such as reading comprehension, spelling, speed and accuracy, proofreading, and charts and graphs.
Carolina practiced during the school year with the help of her TVI — teacher of the visually impaired.
The one-on-one, in-person work ended when the COVID19 pandemic forced schools to close and students to engage in distance-learning programs from home.
The transition to remote learning didn’t hurt her academic performance, Carolina said, thanks to the earlier work with her teachers and a strong support system.
“I had worked with my teachers enough that they knew what I needed,” she said. “I also had a lot more time with my TVI. She gave me more time if I needed help with the platform or math. I ended the year really well.”
Although the testing for the Braille competition is done, contestants will have access to a series of workshops and other virtual activities in the week leading up to the closing ceremony — and the announcement of the winners.
“This year, rather than having students and families come to us, we’re taking Braille Challenge Finals directly to them,” said Sergio Oliva, associate vice president of national and youth programs for the Braille Institute.
“The digital experience we created captures the essence of the two-day event and celebration and effectively champions Braille literacy,” Oliva said.
Carolina will find out July 31 if she is one of this year’s Braille champions.
Going into the testing for the final competition, “I felt a little nervous, obviously, but I also felt really calm and confident,” she said. “I think I did really well.”