Vision Awareness Patch
The Maryland Optometric Association is very excited to announce our participation in the Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts Vision Awareness Patch program.
About the Program
The Maryland Optometric Association is very excited to announce our participation in the Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts Vision Awareness Patch program. This is a unique community outreach opportunity that you can easily incorporate into your practice!
There are thousands of participants in scouting programs across our state, with involvement starting at the kindergarten level. Many children remain involved up to and through high school.
As doctors of optometry, you know more than anyone that clear and comfortable vision is imperative to help ensure a child’s ability to learn, which can only be assessed through a comprehensive eye exam.
The Vision Awareness Patch program, created by the New Jersey Society of Optometric Physicians supporting girl scout, paraoptometric and pre-optometry student Marietta Richman, can help you reach the thousands of children in scouting, and reinforce the importance of eye exams to not just the children, but parents, caregivers, and scout leaders.
This outreach is also an opportunity to introduce careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), most importantly the profession of optometry.
Our state association is making materials and suggested activities available to you and your staff to reach out to scouts, and their parent leaders and other volunteers, to introduce the program.
One of the first activities for earning the patch is visiting a local doctor of optometry’s office. You can connect with local scout troops by discussing this program with your patients who have children active in scouts or by visiting each organization’s regional/metropolitan council which covers your area. From there, you can work together to identify the closest troops to your office.
Another suggestion for generating awareness of your participation is to add content to your website and social media channels, such as:
- Attention scout leaders! Find out how your troop can earn a Vision Awareness Free Patch! Email us at [insert email address].
- Did you know…your eyes are the size of ping pong balls? If you’re a scout, find out more about your eyes and how you see and earn a Vision Awareness Patch! Find out more by emailing us at [insert email address].
Doctors who wish to participate virtually, may use this PowerPoint presentation to help give troops a VIRTUAL tour of the optometric office and a better understanding of the profession of optometry.
If you are interested in participating in the Program (virtually or in person), contact Dr. Nina Doyle at nina.doyle@gmail.com or (410) 721-2500 to receive more detailed information and to be listed in the MOA directory as a Girl Scout Vision Awareness participating office.