June 2, 2022 — The National Center for Children’s Vision and Eye Health at Prevent Blindness (NCCVEH) is calling for nominations for the eighth annual Bonnie Strickland Champion for Children’s Vision Award. The award recognizes significant efforts to improve public health approaches for children’s vision and eye health at the state or national level. The deadline for submission is Monday, Aug. 1.
 
The highest honor that the NCCVEH bestows, the award will be presented at NCCVEH’s annual meeting taking place virtually on Friday, Oct. 14. Award recipients will have an opportunity to present at the meeting and will be featured on the NCCVEH website to showcase an overview of their efforts.
 
“As part of our Year of Children’s Vision, we are especially excited to recognize those who have made significant contributions to improving the vision health outcomes for our kids,” says Jeff Todd, president and CEO of Prevent Blindness. “We encourage nominations of our allies who work to make children’s eyesight a priority.”
 
Established in 2014, this award commemorates Bonnie Strickland and her work to establish a comprehensive system for children’s vision in the U.S.  She served as director of the Division of Services for Children with Special Health Needs at the federal Maternal and Child Health Bureau, Health Resources and Services Administration before her retirement in 2014. According to Prevent Blindness, Strickland improved vision for children through strong national partnerships, innovative program approaches, and improved national surveillance.   
 
Nominations for the 2022 Bonnie Strickland Champion for Children’s Vision Award may include an individual person or group that demonstrates an impact in one or more of the following areas of a population health system supporting children’s vision:

• Key stakeholder engagement or collaboration, including representation from families and diverse racial, ethnic, geographic, and socioeconomic populations.
• Training and education.
• Public awareness.
• Provision of resources and/or services.
• Surveillance and accountability.
• Reduction of health inequities.
• Infrastructure development at the local, state, or national level.

The Bonnie Strickland Champion for Children’s Vision Award Committee will review all nominations and select the award recipient or recipients.
 
Last year, the award was presented to Shavette Turner, vice president of Children’s Services at Prevent Blindness Georgia, for work helping disadvantaged and underserved youth across the state access eye care.
 
For more information and to submit a nomination: nationalcenter.preventblindness.org.