GFF Provides Clearer Vision for Students
Aug 08, 2009 - When Tampa Bay Buccaneers Owner Malcolm Glazer established the Glazer Family Foundation 10 years ago, he made a point of creating charitable programs that would have a lasting impact on the community’s youth. Ten years later that impact continues to be seen, quite literally, through the eyes of young Bucs fans in the Bay area and beyond.
On Friday the Glazer Family Foundation kicked off the 2009 season with its annual vision program, hosting the first of several community events run by the Foundation during training camp. Foundation Co-President Darcie Glazer Kassewitz presented vision screening equipment valued at more than $40,000 to the Manatee and Polk County school systems, holding a screening demonstration of the new equipment with local students, nurses and school officials.
“The Glazer Family Foundation is committed to ensuring that Florida’s youth can learn in an environment where vision problems are no longer obstacles,” said Glazer Kassewitz. “This program is instrumental in assisting children with early detection of vision troubles and enhancing their overall learning experience, and the Glazer Family Foundation is proud to expand its impact to schools throughout Manatee and Polk Counties.”
During the screening demonstration at One Buccaneer Place, 60 students from the two counties had their visual acuity tested using the latest advances in vision screening technology: the Welch Allyn SureSight Vision Screener, the Titmus 2S and the Good-Lite Vision Box. Vision screening equipment was purchased from the School Health Corporation, a leading provider of medical supplies.
Representing Manatee and Polk Counties at Friday’s event were Assistant Superintendent of Manatee County District Support Services Darcy Hopko, Superintendent of Polk County Schools Dr. Gail McKinzie, Chairman of the Polk County School Board Frank O’Reilly and numerous county school and health officials.
“This has been terrific,” said McKinzie. “We got to see the training of people on the machines and I was just so impressed with how they could [screen] students so accurately and so quickly. That’ll be a great benefit because the way we had to do it before, we didn’t always have the accuracy and it’s just amazing. It’ll mean so much for our nurses to be able to use this with the students in the schools and we will be able to screen so many more students.”
Sue Troxler, a nursing coordinator for Manatee County schools, expressed her appreciation for the Foundation’s donation.
“We’ve always had a good vision program in Manatee County, but now it’s making it even better because now we have a variety of equipment that we can use,” said Troxler. “They’re giving us options and opportunities that we didn’t have before, because with vision testing, one size does not fit all. Some equipment works better on some students, other equipment works better on other students, and now we have the variety.”
“It’s really broadened our perspective of how we could improve the quality of our screening as well as the efficiency of our screenings.”
Two buses packed with students – one with a group from the Boys & Girls Club in Bradenton, the other from an affiliate program in Lakeland – pulled up to One Buc just as the horn sounded to start morning practice. Throughout the session the children got an up-close look at the 2009 Buccaneer squad from the sidelines while taking turns viewing another variety of shapes, colors and symbols inside the team’s training facility.
"I was like, 'Ooh, I can see!'" said Briana Griffin, a 15-year old from Palmetto High School, whose tests revealed a near-perfect 20-30 vision. “I was also happy because I like football. I’ve never really gotten to come and see professionals play, so it was a different experience but I was happy. I was ready to go.”
Noted Victor Austin, an 11-year old from Sleep Hill Middle School in Lakeland: “I was happy because I didn’t know how my eyesight was, so I just came out here so they could test my eyes, and have fun.”
“This has been awesome,” said Troxler. “Good vision is very important for any child’s quality of life and especially their academic success. As school nurses, we’re trying to help them succeed as much as possible. ”
Representatives from both counties expressed their enthusiasm for when they first learned they were receiving the equipment.
“We were very excited,” said McKinzie. “It really means a lot for our students, whether they’re special needs students or students that do not have any disabilities because of the sophistication of the equipment and how quickly we can screen students.”
“I was shocked and amazed,” said Troxler. “As you know, it just comes out of the blue. [They said], 'Gee, we want to give you $20,000 of equipment,' and in this day and age with budget cuts and everything else, things like that just doesn’t happen. So it was just awesome. Of course, we didn’t expect it at all, but we’re very, very grateful.”
This is the fourth year of the Foundation’s vision program, having now donated vision screening equipment to eight county school systems: Hillsborough and Pinellas (2006), Pasco and Sarasota (2007), Orange and Osceola (2008) and Manatee and Polk (2009). Through its vision program, the Glazer Family Foundation will continue to provide vision screening services throughout the Tampa Bay area to ensure that local youth receive this much needed support.
“If the students can’t see well they can’t read, they can’t do math and it just makes going to school a struggle,” said McKinzie. “So vision is everything when it comes to being able to enjoy school and enjoy what you’re doing to be successful.”