May 30, 2024 — The National Center for Children’s Vision and Eye Health at Prevent Blindness (NCCVEH) is seeking nominations for the 10th annual Bonnie Strickland Champion for Children’s Vision Award. This award honors individuals or groups who have made significant efforts to improve public health approaches for children's vision and eye health. Nominations are due by 12 p.m. ET on Monday, July 1.
The award commemorates Bonnie Strickland, former director of the Division of Services for Children with Special Health Needs at the Maternal and Child Health Bureau. Strickland retired in 2014 after establishing a comprehensive system of care for children's vision in the U.S.
A volunteer committee will review the nominations and select the winner, who will be announced at the NCCVEH Annual Meeting on Thursday, Sept. 12. The winner will receive a plaque, recognition, and an opportunity to present at the meeting. Additionally, the recipient will also be featured on the NCCVEH website for their innovative approaches to improving children's vision and eye health.
Eligible nominees can be from various sectors, including family/caregiver and community leaders, public health, health care, and education. Nominees should have implemented solutions to improve children's vision in the U.S. and reduce disparities, demonstrating impact in areas such as stakeholder engagement, training, public awareness, resource provision, surveillance, health equity, infrastructure development, and the connection between vision and overall health.
Previous award winners include Danielle Crull, ABOM; Donny W. Suh, M.D., FAAP, MBA, FACS; Shavette Turner; Logan Newman, NBCT, ABO, M.S. Ed; Anne L. Coleman, M.D., MPH; the Vision in Preschoolers Study Group; Richard Bunner; Sean P. Donahue, M.D., Ph.D.; the Illinois Eye Institute at Princeton Vision Clinic; and the Pediatric Physicians’ Organization at Children’s.
“We are proud to be celebrating the 10th consecutive year honoring those who are making children’s vision and eye health a priority,” says Jeff Todd, president and CEO of Prevent Blindness. “We hope that this year’s award winners will continue to inspire others to help put our kids on the path to a lifetime of healthy vision.”
For more information or to submit a nomination, click here or contact Donna Fishman at dfishman@PreventBlindness.org.