Prevent Blindness Wisconsin will present Rhonda Powell, RN, MSN with the Children’s Healthy Vision Award in recognition of her work to make children’s vision health a reality. It is one of five awards the organization will present during its annual meeting on May 17. Powell is an assistant professor in the MSOE School of Nursing. 

Powell makes children’s vision health a reality both now and in the future by partnering with Prevent Blindness Wisconsin to train and certify the students in her community health and family nursing courses as Children’s Vision Screeners.  

Through the collaboration between MSOE nursing students and Prevent Blindness Wisconsin, students extend what they have learned beyond the classroom and into local schools. Each year, MSOE students conduct vision screenings for approximately 1,000 to 1,500 school-age children who would otherwise not receive a vision screening and possibly struggle in the classroom because they cannot see well enough to learn.  

Powell has a passion for working with underserved and vulnerable populations in the community. She is dedicated to training a new generation of nurses who are caring, compassionate and skilled in cutting-edge, innovative care.  

“When nursing students are trained as Certified Children’s Vision Screeners, we are building a pipeline of qualified vision screeners who may serve in the future as school nurses, pediatric nurses, or community health professionals,” said Powell. “Vision screening through Prevent Blindness Wisconsin has been invaluable to my community nursing students.”