Seeing Is Believing Equally Reynolds Opticianry Students Alter Lives Inward Jamaica
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Jamaica is frequently idea of every bit a house for relaxing vacations, swimming inwards crystal clear waters, enjoying the spectacular scenery together with nutrient together with taking inwards the native civilization - but for a grouping of J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College students together with faculty members the argue for a recent catch was exclusively different.
On Oct 12, a grouping of 8 students together with 4 faculty members left Richmond for a ten-day journeying to serve amongst the international humanitarian optic aid projection iCare.
“It was an chance for them to encounter the globe is much larger than Richmond together with that they tin brand a difference, non only locally but internationally every bit well,” said JSRCC Opticianry Program Director Yvonne Metten.
iCare is a life changing computer program that harnesses the pity together with expertise of humanitarian optic aid professionals past times sending them to Jamaica to give the gift of sight to thousands who can’t fifty-fifty afford a distich of reading glasses.
“At kickoff nosotros looked at the trip every bit what tin nosotros actually practise every bit a student?” said Megan Heiser, who commutes an lx minutes together with a one-half to the College’s Downtown Campus twice a calendar week from Courtland. “We didn’t get got a lot of experience inwards the manufacture together with nosotros wondered how much of a departure could nosotros make.”
Once inwards Jamaica the students together with faculty members rapidly works life out whatsoever assist they could furnish was really much welcomed together with needed.
“Normally fifty-fifty if they tin come upward up amongst the money, it is a 2 yr waiting listing to fifty-fifty encounter an optic doctor,” noted JSRCC educatee Leah Elkins who commutes to Reynolds from Williamsburg. “It costs them most a month’s salary merely for an optic exam, together with thus many of the people at that topographic point get got accepted that they merely won’t last able to see.”
In areas where the grouping worked, at that topographic point are no publicly available optometrists, together with only 1 ophthalmologist for over 1/2 1 thou 1000 people. The students together with faculty members’ skills of beingness able to perform visual screenings, checking vital signs such every bit blood sugar, blood pressure level together with glucose levels together with dispensing of optic spectacles was really much appreciated past times their patients.
“I lost the fearfulness of working amongst people,” noted Elkins. “You are thrown correct into it, together with thus yous can’t last scared. I didn’t get got a lot of experience working amongst people remove before, together with thus it definitely helped me overcome to a greater extent than or less of my fears.”
“By the function beingness hands-on, nosotros are right away ameliorate trained to create the work together with non merely position it,” said Rachel Williams, a 2011 Caroline County High School graduate. “By working amongst the people of Jamaica, I get got definitely choke a ameliorate person."
During their stay, the students together with faculty members served over 1,700 Jamaicans inwards a infinite the size of 2 classrooms.
“We changed lives. They volition never last the same every bit they volition last able to practise things they get got never been able to do,” said Jaclyn Salsbury who entered the opticianry computer program afterward serving 4 years every bit a chemist's shop technician. “It was a slap-up chance to assist others - it gave me the feeling of important – that what nosotros did meant something to others.”
During their stay, the students together with faculty members served over 1,700 Jamaicans inwards a infinite the size of 2 classrooms.
“We changed lives. They volition never last the same every bit they volition last able to practise things they get got never been able to do,” said Jaclyn Salsbury who entered the opticianry computer program afterward serving 4 years every bit a chemist's shop technician. “It was a slap-up chance to assist others - it gave me the feeling of important – that what nosotros did meant something to others.”
The JSRCC opticianry computer program has a long history of participating inwards community service programs including annually volunteering amongst OneSight, which spends v days at the Arthur Ashe Center providing local children amongst eyes exams together with glasses.
“I experience it is of import to give dorsum to people that mightiness non get got every bit much every bit others,” noted Metten describing the bespeak to volunteer. “While at that topographic point is a lot nosotros tin learn inwards the classroom, nosotros can’t learn compassion….they bespeak to experience it.”
