Vision Of Hope Scholarship 2024

I am so grateful to the scholarship’s committee for reading my essay on why I should be considered. My name is Hailey Ann Greene, a 24-year-old from Sarasota, Florida. I am currently enrolled full time at Hillsborough Community College for Opticianry. As a second-year student I have the honor of being the Vice President of the Association of Professional Scholastic Opticians (APSO) Club.

First and foremost, I would like to share why I have chosen the Opticianry path as a career path for me. My big brother was born with a retinal detachment in his right eye. He has had a harder childhood compared to most, mostly because he had three younger sisters. I have helped my brother with simple and complicated tasks my whole life. We would have to walk to school, and I was in charge of a simple task of crossing the road. This mundane task as a younger sister inspired me to help people who need a little help.

As far as my parents have pictures of my childhood, I have always worn glasses. My parents are both mildly Myopic, which they passed down to my two younger sisters and I. Luckily for me I have the second worst prescription as of now. My prescription is a minus ten in both eyes. I never knew of what an Optician was or how important they are for everyone. I was working for Target during Covid, early in the morning. I found myself in a terrible problem, my glasses broke. I could not see to do my job, as simple as putting food on a shelf.  That is when I meant a gentleman named Craig who fixed my glasses. He was able to restore my sight, and I was very relieved. That was when I asked how he learned that, thought it would be good to know, just in case. We ended up talking about my prescription and how and why my lenses were very thick. During that time, I became very interested in how I can work for Target Optical. I soon transferred and I never looked back. I have currently been with them for two years and in that time, I have learned everything that comes to lens and how to help someone that has a big bad prescription find a frame that fits them great and that works for them. Another great feeling is helping children, picking a frame that they love and want to wear. 

My passion has become glasses and with that helping people. The feeling of fixing a pair of glasses for people who cannot see without them is something I will always feel great about. Showing people that lenses do not have to be big and heavy, thanks to High Index lenses. Dispensing a first time Progressives is a good feeling, some people that I have helped tried progressives and could not get adjusted, explaining how to wear them and getting them to pick up a piece of paper and referring to how the paper on the ground felt higher up. Then going the extra mile for them and telling them that the stairs are going to seem higher and showing them that they need to lower their chin. My vision has been one of my biggest insecurities my whole life, my goal in life to prevent that feeling from any generation young or old that needs correction. Thank you again for reading this.