The National Center for Children’s Vision and Eye Health at Prevent Blindness (NCCVEH) has issued a call for nominations for the 11th annual Bonnie Strickland Champion for Children’s Vision Award. The award recognizes significant efforts by an individual or group of individuals in the U.S. to improve public health approaches to children’s vision and eye health. The submission deadline is Aug. 25 at noon ET.
Established in 2014 by the NCCVEH Advisory Committee, the award honors Dr. Bonnie Strickland for her pioneering efforts in creating a comprehensive children's vision system in the U.S. Before retiring in 2014, Dr. Strickland served as director of the Division of Services for Children with Special Health Needs at the Maternal and Child Health Bureau.
“Healthy vision in our children plays a crucial role in their development, supporting social interactions and success in the classroom and beyond,” says Jeff Todd, president and CEO of Prevent Blindness. “The Bonnie Strickland Champion for Children’s Vision Award recognizes those who make a positive impact on children’s vision.”
The award will be presented during a virtual event on Oct. 29, at which the recipient(s) will be able to conduct a 30-minute presentation. The award recipient(s) will receive a commemorative plaque and feature on the NCCVEH website highlighting their commendable approaches to children’s vision and eye health systems.
Nominees for the award may be individuals or groups of diverse stakeholders, including families/caregivers, community leaders, public health professionals, health care and eyecare providers, educators, and more who are implementing changes to improve children’s vision and reduce disparities in the space. NCCVEH has outlined key areas in which nominees can demonstrate significant impact in supporting children’s vision: key stakeholder engagement or collaboration, including representation from families and from diverse racial, ethnic, geographic, and socioeconomic backgrounds; training/education; public awareness; provision of resources and/or services; surveillance and accountability; reduction of health inequities; vision and eye health infrastructure development at the local, state, or national level; and connecting vision to overall health, early childhood development, and learning.
Alcon Children’s Vision Center was the recipient of last year’s award. Other previous award recipients include Danielle Crull, ABOM, 2024 #EBGameChanger, author, business owner of A Child’s Eyes, organizer of The Pumpkin Patch Project, and founder of the Truffles the Kitty Organization; and Donny W. Suh, MD, FAAP, MBA, FACS, chief of pediatric ophthalmology and strabismus, and professor, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, at Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, University of California, Irvine. A full list of past recipients is available here.
For more information, or to submit a nomination for the 2025 award, visit nationalcenter.preventblindness.org/bonnie-strickland-champion-for-childrens-vision-award or contact Donna Fishman, director of the NCCVEH, at dfishman@PreventBlindness.org.