By: Matt Weingarden, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Tilbury Times Reporter
When most Grade 5 students spend their lunch hour playing games or chatting with friends, Legacie Shipman-Rogers is doing something extraordinary: teaching her peers to read and write Braille.
At A.A. Wright Public School in Wallaceburg, the weekly Braille Club has become far more than an extracurricular activity. It’s a vibrant celebration of inclusion, led by a remarkable young student who is turning her experience as a legally blind individual into an opportunity to connect, educate, and inspire.
The timing of the club’s launch couldn’t be more fitting. On January 4th, Canada celebrated World Braille Day, a day dedicated to raising awareness about the importance of Braille as a vital means of communication for individuals who are blind or have low vision. Braille provides more than just literacy—it enables access to information, promotes independence, and fosters social inclusion.
These principles aren’t just abstract concepts at A.A. Wright Public School. They’re lived out every week through the Braille Club, where students gather during lunch hour to learn a new skill while embracing diversity.
Legacie, described as bubbly and confident, leads engaging sessions where students learn Braille, participate in hands-on activities, and get to experience using Brailler machines provided through the Blind/Low Vision department of the Lambton Kent District School Board (LKDSB).
Working alongside Julianne Vandernaalt, Teacher for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing/Blind and Low Vision with LKDSB, Legacie has created a welcoming environment that has attracted growing numbers of students eager to learn.
“Once you meet her, you won’t ever forget her,” says Vandernaalt, praising Legacie’s leadership style.
That sentiment rings true for anyone who encounters Legacie around the school. When she’s not leading Braille Club, she can be found chatting with her favorite staff members and fellow students, or enthusiastically introducing school visitors to Gary, the school’s resident fish.
What started as a small initiative has blossomed in popularity. Recently, the program expanded to include a sign language component, giving participants the chance to practice signing and deepen their understanding of communication diversity.
For Vandernaalt, this program holds special significance. As a CODA (Child of Deaf Adults) with both parents being profoundly Deaf, and as a parent of a child with low vision, this initiative is incredibly close to her heart. Her lived experience and dedication have helped create a program that goes beyond teaching a skill—it’s fostering genuine understanding and acceptance.
The Braille Club has transformed into something greater than anyone initially imagined. It’s become a symbol of acceptance, inclusion, and the power of working together to make schools and communities welcoming places for all.
Through Legacie’s leadership and enthusiasm, her peers are learning that differences aren’t barriers—they’re opportunities to connect, understand, and grow together. In a world that often overlooks accessibility and inclusion, A.A. Wright Public School is proving that when students lead with empathy and curiosity, remarkable things happen.
The Braille Club stands as a testament to what’s possible when one student’s vision for a more inclusive world meets a school community ready to embrace it.
