JWB’s Third 2025 KidsFirst Award Winner Helps Kids See Their Own Bright Futures

Children’s Eye Health and Safety Month is observed every August. It is a time dedicated to raising awareness about the critical role eye health plays in a child’s overall well-being and development, particularly in relation to learning and vision-related issues. 

Here’s why it’s important:

• Impact on Learning: Undiagnosed or misdiagnosed vision problems can significantly affect a child’s ability to learn, with some issues being mistaken for other conditions like ADHD. 
• Early Detection: School eye screenings may not catch all vision problems, highlighting the need for comprehensive eye exams. 
• Overall Well-being: Eye health is crucial for a child’s development and overall well-being. 

Recognizing the importance of children’s vision health, the Juvenile Welfare Board of Pinellas County (JWB) invested $222,000 with Preserve Vision Florida’s “Seeing Our Bright Future” program in 2024 to provide vision screenings and follow-up to more than 4,200 children ranging in age from birth to 18. The program works in partnership with public and private schools, as well as with community organizations to bring Preserve Vision Florida (PVF) screening and treatment services to children throughout Pinellas County.

A child’s vision health is critical for classroom learning success, social skill development, and a sense of security, and both teachers and parents report positive changes in child school engagement after students receive screening and services through PVF.

While the vast majority of children screened can be assisted with a simple eye exam and glasses, with their highly sensitive digital screening equipment, PVF can identify critical eye issues that can endanger a child’s sight for life: These screenings can actually mean the difference between a sighted life or blindness.

And leading the charge at PVF is Pilar Bradley, the Family Services Manager for Preserve Vision Florida.

Pilar exemplifies the PVF mission to give every child a vision of their own bright future. Her title barely begins to capture the heart, hustle, and humanity she brings to her work.

• Children as young as one year can be identified with cataracts, retinal issues, and serious eye conditions that require expert diagnosis and treatment.
• For more than 13 years, Pilar has made it her mission to ensure that every child who needs eye care receives it.
• She has built and refined a process so effective that 90% of children referred for follow-up care actually receive it, compared to the national average of just 30%.
• She reaches out personally, educates parents, coordinates appointments, and removes every barrier that might stand between a child and a clear view of the world.
• One child Pilar has been helping for several years was born prematurely and developed cataracts; Pilar helped the family become enrolled with a pediatric ophthalmologist who will follow the case until the child is old enough to have surgery. When the child required special lenses that cost $500 and potentially had to be replaced every six months, Pilar solicitated the aid of a foundation, physicians, and hospitals to provide new glasses as needed.

For more than 30 years, the Juvenile Welfare Board of Pinellas County has used the annual KidsFirst Cooperman-Bogue Awards to recognize outstanding local professionals who provide direct services and work tirelessly to put children first.

For her unwavering dedication to giving each Pinellas child a clear vision of their future, Pilar Bradley is certainly worthy of one of our four 2025 KidsFirst awards!