LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY) — Seven-year-old Emerson Thom, a first-grade student at Woodvale Elementary School is heading to Los Angeles California to compete in the 2025 Braille Challenge.

Jessica Turner, the first grader’s mother said the family is very excited. 

“We were a little shocked. I was a little shocked. He probably wasn’t and yet the logistics of finding the plane tickets and hotels, you know, was a little daunting but we’re very excited,” said Turner. “Challenge is actually international now. It’s the US, UK, Canada and Australia. There’s about 800 kids that compete.”

With Emerson being a first grader, he will focus on spelling, proofreading and reading comprehension.

“Reading comprehension is when you read and then answer questions about the story you read. Proofreading is where there’s an error in the text and you have to say A, B or C, which is the mistake it has, and correct it. That’s what proofreading really is. That’s the main part,” Emerson explained. 

Though many people are vying to be number one, Emerson says he will do his best. Saying if he wins, he will add it to his collection of three trophies he has already from his piano competition.

Emerson enjoyed telling jokes. He displayed how to spell his name in braille and read his favorite book “Brallie Boy” whose superpower is braille. Emerson said if he had a superpower, it would be super strength. He expressed a want for more places with braille, but he wants people to know this message. 

“Blind people can do anything sighted people can do but more stuff,” he said. 

Turner said Emerson wishes to work in the command center for NASA. Working with coding and rockets. While she encouraged his dreams, she said she stresses the importance of him learning the foundation of basic education. 

“I think the fellowship and the mentorship that comes with these types of competitions and activities is so important for these kids because he often feels like people don’t understand him. People are scared of him and he’s just a regular kid, just like anybody else. He likes to swim. Likes to ride bikes, he likes to roller skate. He likes to be outside and go hunting with his dad. He doesn’t need a lot of help, and he has to learn when he does need help to ask and people have to learn to wait until they ask to give him help and not be scared of him and then going to these challenges it allows him to see other very successful people,” Turner said. 

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