Children's Programs and Scholarships

Braille Readers Are Leaders

In order to further promote Braille literacy, the American Action Fund lends its support to the Braille Readers Are Leaders program for blind children, young adults, and this year, adults!  The program consists of a Braille literacy contest for students in kindergarten through twelfth grade, as well as a pre-literacy program for children not yet reading. Along with the contest for children grades K-12 there is a contest for adults this year. Adults with various levels of experience reading Braille have the chance to join in the fun! The adult competition will very closely parallel the traditional student competition with all of this year’s additions (more information on all the programs).

The contest for children in grades K-12 encourages participants to read as many Braille pages as possible in literature outside of their normal school requirements, for a period of two months. Contestants are separated by categories for competition and prizes include t-shirts, certificates, ribbons, and even a free trip to the largest gathering of blind persons in the world. 

The pre-literacy program, entitled Braille Reading Pals, encourages parents to read with their child using print-Braille storybooks.  To promote interest from the child, a Beanie Baby "pal" is brought out during reading time each day.  Parents are encouraged to keep a reading journal through the two month program and upon completion receive prizes including a print-Braille activity booklet and a print-Braille Valentines Day card.

Science Academies

The American Action Fund has served as a proud, primary sponsor of several initiatives aimed at promoting the ability of the blind to participate actively in the sciences.  For too long, society has pushed the idea that vision is fundamentally necessary for this arena.  To effectively correct this error, young blind students must be shown that they can participate actively in their science classes and that a future profession in science is perfectly within their grasp. By providing hands-on experiences and tactile materials, these science academies are prime examples of how to use nonvisual teaching methods and blind role models in the classroom to engage blind youth in the study of science and math. The American Action Fund anticipates supporting many other similar future endeavors.   

Circle of Life

The Circle of Life session was targeted at blind middle school students and was focused around the earth and life sciences. The goal was to spark an interest in science and to introduce the students to blind role models working in the field. The students took part in various activities, such as exploring the Chesapeake Bay and its watershed, learning about chemistry and electronics, and dissecting a dogfish shark. 

Rocket On!

The Rocket On! session was for blind high school students and focused on physics, electronics, rocketry, and teamwork.  In this session, the participants worked closely together in teams to build a rocket payload, make trajectory predictions, prepare the rocket for launch, and execute the other critical elements of a real NASA rocket mission.  The goal was to increase interest and support possible careers in the sciences.  It pushed students beyond simply “wanting” to go into science and launched them into the realm of “believing” they could by having them independently execute tasks they would have never imagined possible.  The first NFB Rocket Team successfully launched their rocket from the Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia on August 19, 2004.  The second NFB Rocket Team followed in their footsteps with a launch on July 21, 2005, and the third on July 19, 2006.

Youth Slam 2007

In 2007, nearly two hundred blind and low vision high school students arrived in Baltimore on July 30 and spent four days exploring fields falsely believed to be impossible for blind people to enter.  While staying at Johns Hopkins University, the youth were mentored by blind role models as they engaged in fun, challenging, and inspiring activities meant to stretch the imagination, build confidence, and increase science literacy. 

The students were separated into "tracks" with each group focusing on a different type of science, such as rocketry, astronomy, and engineering.  The students worked within that particular science each day, but were also able to attend short sessions focused in areas like biology, chemistry, and blindness.

Youth Slam 2009

Blind and low vision students from all across the country arrived July 26 for this five-day adventure to engage, inspire, and encourage the next generation of blind youth to consider careers falsely believed to be impossible for the blind.  While staying at the University of Maryland, College Park, students were mentored by blind role models during fun and challenging activities designed to build confidence and increase science literacy. 

Some of these activities included designing an environmentally friendly house, learning about the science of sports, discovering the most effective ways to treat water, and using forensic science to solve a crime. 

Youth Slam participants also had some time for fun and mingling during social activities, such as dances and a talent show.  Rec X presented the students with the opportunity to do some rock climbing and mechanical bull riding!   Youth Slam culminated in an inspiring rally in front of the Lincoln Memorial and a march on the Mall in Washington, D.C.!