From "Problem" Child to Thriving Student

Blog post written by Julie Smith, a director of external affairs for Verizon’s south area. In addition to being a dedicated Verizon volunteer, Julie works with a number of nonprofit and community organizations in the region.

I heard Governor Bob Riley of Alabama tell a story that I will never forget. 

There was a boy in Selma, Alabama who was a tremendously difficult behavioral problem in his elementary school. We’ll call him James.

The teachers and school administrators had tried to do everything they could to get James to behave in class and they were at a loss as to what to do next. Until one day when the KidCheck health screening program came to James’ school. Well, lo and behold, James failed the vision screening.  James needed glasses and no one knew. 

James REALLY needed glasses; this young boy could not see! But, thanks to the follow up care provided by Sight Savers America, James got glasses. James became a different student. He excelled. 

Thanks to KidCheck, success stories like these are happening all around Alabama every day when the KidCheck health screenings are conducted in rural areas around the state where access to health care can sometimes be a challenge. Health issues are discovered and follow up occurs. For many of these children, this is their only access to any type of health screenings. 

Through the support of the Verizon Foundation, we’ve digitized the screening process. So when students like James are getting their screenings, they don’t have to carry around a piece of paper to fill in….everything is entered by the nursing students online so that follow up care can be error free and quick.