Helen Keller International and Vision To Learn to Provide Vision Screenings, Eye Exams and Glasses to PK-8 Students

 

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Newark (June 1, 2017) — More than 25,000 Newark Public Schools students will receive free vision screenings, eye exams and glasses in the 2017-2018 school year, through a collaboration between Helen Keller International’s ChildSight® Program and Vision To Learn. Through this effort, launched today at Speedway Academies, Vision To Learn will serve the needs of elementary school students in Pre-K through 3rd Grade and Helen Keller International will serve students in 4th through 8th Grade.

“We’re delighted to help serve children in Newark. The glasses students receive will help them succeed in school and in life,” said Vision To Learn Founder and Chairman, Austin Beutner.

“The driving force behind ChildSight® – that a simple pair of eyeglasses can have a truly profound impact on a student’s life – is incredibly compelling,” said Kathy Spahn, President and CEO of HKI.  “Too often, parents and guardians are struggling to make ends meet; that we can remove barriers to vision care and provide a vital health care service to their kids in the school setting is truly gratifying.”

This partnership is being launched with support from the Overdeck Family Foundation. Vision To Learn’s work is also supported with funding from the Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation, and the Rathmann Challenge Grant. Helen Keller International’s ChildSight® program is most recently funded by The Hearst Foundation, Inc., Lydia Collins deForest Charitable Trust, Reader’s Digest Partners for Sight Foundation, The Starr Foundation and Wilf Family Foundations.

“Overdeck Family Foundation is thrilled to support this important initiative in Newark. Every student deserves the eye exams and glasses they need to excel at school,” said Overdeck Family Foundation Chair Laura Overdeck.

Helen Keller International and Vision To Learn will work with Newark Public Schools to provide vision screenings to every child in the district’s Pre-K through 8th schools. The organizations will travel to schools and provide each child who did not pass the screening with an eye exam. If the child needs glasses, he or she can choose their very own style and frame, and the glasses will be provided to the child at school within three weeks, all free of charge.

Students with untreated vision problems often struggle at school, and are less likely to achieve reading proficiency by third grade, putting them at greater risk of dropping out.

“I want to thank Vision To Learn, Helen Keller International ChildSight and the Overdeck Family Foundation for their partnership and commitment to serve students throughout Newark,” said NPS Superintendent Christopher D. Cerf. “Students in need of glasses, who don’t have them, are at a significant learning disadvantage. Eyeglasses distributed today and throughout this initiative will be one of the most important tools to creating a better educational experience for our students.”

At today’s program, each student adorned their new eyewear as they walked the red carpet as part of an eyewear fashion show.

Speedway Academies is the pilot school served by this program; over the past month, every student at Speedway – 576 total – received a vision screening. 127 students were provided eye exams from VTL and HKI, and will receive glasses.  The centerpiece of Thursday’s kick-off event was having over 100 of students receive their glasses for the first time.

New York Giants defensive tackle Jay Bromley surprised kids and staff by attending the event and helping hand out glasses to the kids.   Bromley, a Syracuse University graduate said, “I wouldn’t be in the NFL without my glasses.”

Also joining today’s program were Newark City Council President Mildred Crump, Deputy Mayor for Education Toni Baskerville Richardson, and NPS Board Member Flohisha Johnson.

About Vision To Learn

Vision To Learn began operations with one van in Los Angeles in 2012, and now serves students in low-income communities in over 180 cities from Honolulu to Baltimore. Vision To Learn serves the needs of the hardest-to-reach children in low-income communities; more than 89% of kids served by Vision To Learn live in poverty and 87% of kids of color. Since its inception, Vision To Learn has helped screen over 430,000 students, provided almost 85,000 with eye exams, and over 65,000 with glasses, all free of charge.

UCLA research shows that Vision To Learn improves grades for children who receive glasses from the program and improves the learning environment for the entire classroom and school. The UCLA research can be found at http://visiontolearn.org/impact/ucla-study-impact-analysis-of-vision-to-learn/.

For more information, please visit visiontolearn.org, e-mail ahollister@nullvisiontolearn.org or call (310) 893-2336.

About Helen Keller International & ChildSight®

Helen Keller International’s programs are built on strong partnerships with governments, civil society, the private sector, and communities in 20 countries across Africa and Asia, as well as here in the United States. Reaching millions, and delivered efficiently, HKI’s strategy is designed to have lasting impact by strengthening families and health systems. Respected for the range and rigor of their work, HKI is a top-rated charity, founded in 1915 in New York, New York.

ChildSight®, a program of HKI, brings free vision care services and prescription eyeglasses to children in underserved communities in California, Connecticut, New Jersey, New York and Ohio. Launched in 1996, ChildSight® – New Jersey serves students in Newark, Patterson and East Orange.  To date we have screened over 180,000 students and provided more than 30,000 pairs of free prescription eyeglasses to children in need in the State of New Jersey.  Learn more at www.hki.org/childsight.

Damian Carroll
Vision To Learn
(818) 383-2335
damian@nullvisiontolearn.org

Katherine Acerra
Helen Keller International ChildSight
(516) 513-9926
(646) 472-0355
kacerra@nullhki.org

Tracy Munford
Newark Public Schools
(862)373-6648
t1munford@nullnewark.apppresser.com

[Newark, NJ – May 23, 2017] NPS students from five schools recently competed in GlassRoots’ 13th Annual Business Plan Competition. The students hail from Arts, East Side, and Science Park High Schools. All of the students spent the last academic year creating their own glass art and an accompanying business plan for marketing and selling their one-of-a-kind pieces. Both the art and the plan were showcased at GlassRoots’ Business Plan Competition and Trade Fair, recently held at the newly renovated Hahne & Co Building in Newark.

NPS Superintendent of Schools Chris Cerf said, “Students participating in the GlassRoots’ competition have through this program learned two important life lessons; first, that a product, regardless of how good it is, must be marketed to the consumer and secondly, by developing a business plan to market their glass art, they now understand the importance of sound business practices.”

GlassRoots is a non-profit organization located in the downtown arts district of Newark that provides artistic and life skills training to Newark area youth, ages 10 to 18, by engaging them in the creation of glass art and the development of business and entrepreneurship skills.

The GlassRoots FLAME and Business & Entrepreneurship Programs dedicated to nurturing and guiding the entrepreneurial spirit, are modeled after the curriculum from the National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship, an international non-profit organization that introduces youth to the world of entrepreneurship. High School students from the Greater Newark area begin their journeys as entrepreneurs during 65 hours of class time focusing on how to plan, prepare, market and manage a business. In the Business and Entrepreneurship program, they then create products in one of GlassRoots’ glass art studios. The FLAME Program students take a slightly different path, working cooperatively to design and create products to represent GlassRoots, and their competition was based on designs and business models. Both programs culminated in this business competition and trade fair, at which the students’ products were available for purchase.

“Entrepreneurship education benefits students from all socioeconomic backgrounds because it teaches kids to think outside the box and nurtures unconventional talents and skills,” said Barbara Heisler, Executive Director. “Through our entrepreneurship programs, our students learn organizational skills, including time management, leadership development and interpersonal skills, which prepares them for additional education and give them an edge with highly transferable skills sought by employers.”

NPS students participating in the Business and Entrepreneurship program are listed below:

• Yaneline Maldonado, Science Park High School
• Natavia Williams, Arts High School
• Tyshea Johnson-Brandon, Science Park High School

NPS Students participating in the FLAME Competition hail from East Side High School:

• Deyvi Colon
• Christopher Cordova
• Oscar Fernandez
• Stephanie Gregorio
• David Martinez
• Katherine Martinez
• Stephanie Martins
• Desteny Noel
• Bhratt Quinones

Students who have committed to attending college in the fall participated in celebratory events across the district

 

[Newark, NJ — May 19, 2017] — Seniors from across all 16 Newark Public Schools (NPS) high schools participated in the first annual district-wide College Decision Day on Monday, May 1, celebrating each member of the 2017 NPS senior class who has committed to attending college this upcoming fall. Each district high school held an event where students showcased their individual college decision in a variety of ways, such as creating posters and banners or wearing apparel which displayed the school they plan on attending in the fall.

“Today is a remarkable moment in the educational journey of our 2017 NPS senior class who have made this significant and transformative decision to attend an institution of higher education,” said Superintendent Christopher D. Cerf of Newark Public Schools. “I am proud of each of our scholars for the hard work, and dedication they have displayed toward their academic pursuits. I’m thrilled to join the entire school community to celebrate our seniors, as they take this major step on their academic path toward lifelong success.”

The 2017 NPS senior class has committed to attend a wide-range of schools across the country, including Harvard University, Rutgers University, Howard University and Essex County College, among others. Newark Public Schools continues to witness a steady increase in the district’s high school graduation rate.

Earlier this year, the New Jersey Department of Education released data showing that Newark’s high school graduation rate increased to 73.5 percent in 2016, up four percentage points from 2015. This data also showed that this is the fourth consecutive year this rate has increased in Newark. Newark’s graduation rate is up nearly 15 percentage points since 2011.

Assistant Superintendent Robert Gregory said, “Decision Day is a major part of our ongoing commitment and effort to create a college-going culture in all of our schools – the global job market demands such.”

Newark’s district-wide College Decision Day is part of Better Make Room’s “College Signing Day,” a national event focused on celebrating students’ commitment to transition into higher education. Better Make Room partners with former first lady Michelle Obama’s Reach Higher initiative to inspire every student in America to pursue and complete their education after high school, whether through a professional training program, a community college, or a four-year college or university.

 

Artwork displayed students’ vision of peacemaking through the arts, diversity and social justice

 

Students across sixteen NPS schools marched in the 2017 Creation Nation Art and Peace Parade in downtown Newark to celebrate the city’s art, youth, diversity, and peace.

[Newark, NJ — May 17, 2017] — Hundreds of Newark Public Schools (NPS) students and staff members from ten elementary schools and six high schools marched in the 10^th Annual Creation Nation Art and Peace Parade in downtown Newark on Thursday, May 11. The parade, which is hosted annually by the Barat Foundation, offers a space where Newark community members are able to march throughout their city to celebrate art, peace, love, and community. The theme of this year’s Creation Nation Art and Peace Parade was “Newark: 50 Years Forward,” marking 50 years since the Newark Uprising of 1967 and celebrating Newark’s renaissance.

“Our NPS community appreciates the opportunity to participate in the Barat Foundation’s Creation Nation Art and Peace Parade, a special event that has become a fundamental part of our city’s artistic landscape, enabling our community to come together to celebrate our city’s rich culture and promote peace through creative expression,” said Superintendent Christopher D. Cerf of Newark Public Schools. “Thanks to the Barat Foundation’s ongoing investment in Newark’s youth, our scholars are able to continue exploring a wide-range of educational opportunities in the arts, an important part of every child’s educational journey.”

In preparation for this year’s parade, students were asked to submit a poster, banner, flag, or cultural costume in April, which were then reviewed and selected to be showcased at the parade. The artwork each student displayed at the parade was representative of each individual students’ vision of peacemaking through the arts, diversity, or social justice. Additionally, the Barringer/Science High School and Malcolm X Shabazz marching bands participated in this year’s festivities, performing musical selections as they marched alongside their community members throughout downtown Newark.

Other high school students that participated in the event came from American History High School, New Jersey Regional Day School, Science Park High School and University High School. Elementary school students from Ann Street School, BRICK Avon Academy, Early Childhood School North, First Avenue School, Hawkins Street, Ivy Hill, Lincoln, Mount Vernon, Oliver Street and Wilson Avenue also participated.

Founded in 1997 by Gary and Chandri Barat, the Barat Foundation is a nonprofit educational organization based in Newark that focuses on expanding creative opportunities through immersion programs in order to foster creative expression in Newark’s youth.