The FocusFirst program has been an unbelievable success this year!  Between November 2004 and May 2005, over 200 trained volunteers representing ten institutions of higher education screened over 4,400 children in 24 counties in Alabama for eye diseases and disorders.  Tests showed that over 600 of the children screened need some sort of medical care for vision problems.  All of those children are now receiving appropriate and timely follow-up care, including a three-year-old girl from Anniston, who is scheduled for surgery later this month at UAB to correct cataracts.  This disorder was detected in a FocusFirst screening conducted by JSU students in March. 

The mission of FocusFirst is to provide a cost-effective direct response to the vision problems of underprivileged children in Alabama who live in urban and rural poverty.  FocusFirst strives to ensure that all children, ages two to five, within several targeted rural counties and urban communities, begin their education with the best vision medically possible.  Our long-term goal is to operate a statewide campus-based network of undergraduate and graduate students trained to identify and screen children in communities of need throughout Alabama in order to enhance the educational development of children.

Additionally, FocusFirst staff and volunteers helped to screen over 1,600 more children in a vision screening pilot program in Brooklyn, New York during the week of May 15-28, 2005.   NYC officials are currently considering  whether or not to make the program a required part of health screenings in the area.

The SpeakFirst program was also an overwhelming success this year.  Between August 2004 and May 2005, students on the team participated in ninety after school debate practices, eight Saturday workshops, twelve debate tournaments, five cultural field trips, and five college visits.  Altogether, the students invested over 600 hours into the program during the 2004-2005 academic year.  As novice debaters, the SpeakFirst team had an impressive 42.4% winning percentage. 

The students will participate in a variety of internships over the summer at locations such as the Birmingham News (journalism), Maynard Cooper and Gale PC (law), Tuskeegee University (transportation management), the University of Alabama at Birmingham (engineering), Architecture Works (architecture), Kirkwood and Associates (architecture), and Brookwood Medical Center (medicine/hospital management). 

Volunteers for the SpeakFirst program drove over 12,500 miles over a ten-month period in order to help ensure that all of the students had a ride to and from practices, tournaments, workshops, and field trips.

The current staff is wrapping up Impact's first--and very successful--year.  The staff has done a fantastic job building a strong foundation on which Impact can continue to grow.  Lucy Jones, Executive Director, will be attending law school at Georgetown University Law Center in the fall.  Anna Mitchell, SpeakFirst/VISTA, is considering other employment options in public service.  Josh Payne, FocusFirst/VISTA, will be attending law school at Washington and Lee University.  Brandi Law, FocusFirst staff, will be attending law school at the College of William and Mary. 

Meet the New Staff!

Thanks to many of your recommendations, Impact has recruited an unbelievably talented staff for next year.  Everyone at Impact has full confidence that the 2005-2006 staff will meet and exceed all expectations.  We are so excited to be working with each one of these individuals next year and we are grateful for their commitment to a year of service to the state of Alabama.

Laura Ashley, Projects Manager: Laura recently graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Political Science from the University of Alabama.  She served as Vice President of the Alabama Forensics Council, leading her team to win third place in the nation two years in a row.   Laura has also served as a Senior Account Executive for the Crimson White and as a Marketing Coordinator for a community health program in Nevada.  She is the recipient of the Samuel L. Clabaugh Scholarship, the American Forensics Council Scholarship, and the Alabama Academic Scholarship.

Kara Lipsmeyer, SpeakFirst VISTA: Kara graduated from Harding University in Arizona with a Bachelor's degree in Psychology and will soon receive her Master's degree in Human Development and Family Studies from Auburn University.  She has served in a variety of community service activities, including food distribution, improving housing, and working with children at a residential mental health treatment facility in conjunction with Christian Care Ministries, River City Ministries, and the United Methodist Children's home.  For ten months, Kara taught undergraduate students written and oral English in Wuhan, China.

Rachel McWhorter, FocusFirst VISTA:  Rachel graduated from Samford University with a Bachelor's degree in English.  She has taught English as a Second Language to local residents of varying cultural backgrounds all throughout the Birmingham area.  Rachel has served as a research assistant and teaching assistant at Samford University, and currently works in the Samford University Office of Admissions.

Neeta Kirpalani, FocusFirst VISTA: Neeta is the first national AmeriCorps/VISTA recruit for Impact.  After growing up in North Carolina, Ms. Kirpalani received a Bachelor's degree in Science from Wake Forest University.  She has been extremely active with the Western North Carolina AIDS Project (WNCAP), helping to organize numerous community-wide AIDS awareness programs and fundraisers.  She served as an Accounting and Administrative Assistant to the Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity and assisted the Buncombe County Board of Elections as a staff member.  Neeta is extremely interested in public health issues.