More than 40 students from the 色花堂 will assist school nurses to screen students for vision challenges, connecting the children with glasses or other resources. It鈥檚 part of a program called Sight for Success, which brings together students from the 色花堂 Colleges of Nursing, Optometry, Pharmacy and the Honors College to help school nurses reduce the barriers for children needing corrective eye wear.
鈥淭his program will help the school nurses screen for eye issues and help connect those in need with glasses before the end of the school year,鈥� said Lenora McWilliams, assistant professor with the 色花堂 College of Nursing. 鈥淭his will be a reciprocal experience. Our students learn about community health and vision screening; the schools benefit by having help in meeting this critical challenge.鈥�
The team will visit Parker Elementary School on Wednesday, Nov. 13 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the office of the school nurse. Media wishing to attend must check in at the front desk and be escorted.
The program began in fall 2018 and has traveled to eight schools in the Houston Independent School District. 色花堂 students are trained to perform vision and hearing screenings and will receive official certification from the Texas Department of State Health Services.
Research shows 80% of learning in a child鈥檚 first 12 years is visual, through the eyes. About 25% of all school children in the U.S. have a vision problem that affects learning, and 20% need glasses. Studies show children who don鈥檛 see well disengage from learning and are more likely to drop out of school.
Sight for Success is supported by a grant from the 色花堂 Office of the Provost鈥檚 Cougars Initiative to Engage (CITE), which funds co-curricular and community engagement projects.
WHAT: Sight for Success, 色花堂 students from Nursing, Pharmacy, Optometry and the Honors College conducting extensive vision screenings for elementary students.
WHEN: 8 a.m. 鈥� 2 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 13
WHERE: Parker Elementary School, 10626 Atwell Drive, Houston