Lyme — Mike Rouillard is heading to the National Braille Challenge Finals with the confidence that he will succeed.

Indeed, the 17-year-old has already earned one of the 60 spots for the competition out of a pool of 1,000 students nationwide.

 The Lyme-Old Lyme High School junior will now compete against 11 others in his age group in categories, such as Braille reading comprehension, spelling and speed and accuracy, at the June 22 challenge held in Los Angeles by the Braille Institute.

“It’s pretty exciting to go out there,” said Rouillard last week.

And as he hops on a California-bound flight with his family this week, his community back home is also excited for him.

Rouillard, who is visually-impaired, began working with Braille in kindergarten. For the championship, he will use a Perkins Braille Writer — a machine that forms the alphabet from combinations of six keys — to test for two to three hours.

In school, Rouillard uses Braille for math, which is a spatial subject, and works on his computer to email his other coursework to his teachers. With a screen-reader program, he can use almost any computer program.

Enthusiastic about computers and technology, Rouillard volunteers with his school’s information technology department. As the department’s intern this summer, he will troubleshoot computer issues and reload the machines for the beginning of the school year. In addition, he programmed his family’s desktop computer with music, wireless Internet access and television connection — and fixes any glitches that arise.

Rouillard, who lived for a few years in North Carolina before returning to the state, received his first computer in fourth grade to assist him in his coursework.

“I’ve always liked them,” he said. “I guess I like the challenge.”

Last year, Rouillard built a website to educate the public about blindness and Braille for a school project. He said he wants to pursue an IT career after college and possibly also teach technology to the blind, which would combine his knowledge of computers and assistive technology.

Rouillard was born premature at 1 pound, 14 ounces and does not have retinal attachment in his eyes. However, he can see most colors and decipher between light and darkness, facts that doctors have not yet been able to explain.

He said his other senses aren’t better than those of sighted people — a common misconception about blindness.

“I just pick up more with my senses,” he said.

Rouillard said he can do most things that sighted people can, which others don’t always understand. For his trip to California, he is looking forward to having fun on roller coasters, which his father said he enjoys fearlessly.

Rouillard, who loves animals and whose family has three cats, recently learned about guide dogs at a Guiding Eyes for the Blind seminar; he looks forward to working in a year or so with a guide dog, that would be matched to him. He currently pays attention to obstacles, such as storm drains, as he walks with a cane, but guide dogs are trained to spot any such obstacles, he explained. He sometimes faces the challenge of people who don’t notice he is walking with a cane and bump into him.

Rouillard, who has competed in the Braille Challenges before including a trip to nationals in 2010, is looking forward to this year’s championship and is confident that he could win. He said he studies for the championship whenever he gets a chance.

His father, Richard Rouillard, said he is so proud of his son. Watching his son, whom he has taught to never give up, compete in the national championship is a moving experience.

“I get emotional,” he said.

Rouillard credits his teachers and education, as well as his parents, for helping him reach where he is today: gearing up for nationals. His first Braille teacher, Cheryl Brown from the Board of Education and Services for the Blind, gave him the educational foundation he continues to build on today, he said. He is also grateful for his transcriptionist who has helped him over the years.

“The Lyme-Old Lyme Lions really admire Mike’s determination — he has repeatedly qualified for the Braille Challenge with hard work and a positive outlook that will take him far in life,” wrote President Marianne Szreders. “The Lions support cutting-edge eye research and help vision-impaired individuals lead better lives. We are proud of Mike’s accomplishments and are glad to help sponsor his trip. We are rooting for him!”

The Lyme-Old Lyme Lions Club, a local nonprofit organization, recently presented Rouillard with a $500 check for the Braille Challenge; the club had assisted with his last trip to nationals. His guidance counselor also started a fundraiser in which his teachers donated towards his trip to the finals.

“Everyone thinks it’s awesome,” said Rouillard.