Jonathan

Jonathan, a sixth grade student, was expected to pass a math facts test to move on with his peers to middle school. He had taken and failed his test every week since the beginning of the school year.

Jonathan had been struggling with his eyesight for a long time. Unfortunately, going through all of the steps to get glasses – doctor appointments, finding the right glasses, picking them up, and paying for them – are often insurmountable barriers to families whose parents work multiple jobs, don’t have insurance, or don’t have transportation.

Schools have screened students for vision problems for a long time. But, until now, many kids didn’t have any place nearby to go if they needed glasses. Thanks to aligned partnerships at his school, a community school supported by United Way of Salt Lake, Jonathan was able to receive a vision screening, doctor appointment, and a free pair of glasses – at school.

“Before I got my glasses, I couldn’t see the board even though I sit close up. Now that I have them, I can see a lot better.”

The day Jonathan received his glasses, he attempted his math facts test again, and this time he passed!