Lehi People
SightFest brings clear vision to Alpine School District
Ryann Anderegg | Lehi Free Press
On Thursday, Oct. 30, Alpine School District wrapped up its final SightFest event of the year, a celebration of sight, service and community collaboration. Hosted at Westmore Elementary in Orem, this event marked the culmination of a three-part initiative aimed at ensuring that every Alpine student who needs glasses receives them before the holidays.
Friends for Sight has partnered with Alpine’s dedicated school nurses, volunteers and local optometrists to provide free vision screenings, exams and glasses to more than 220 students across the district, visiting schools like Lehi Elementary. The initiative has demonstrated that when schools, healthcare professionals and nonprofits collaborate, they can create meaningful, lasting change.
“The event went really great,” said Julia DeLeeuw, Development Director of Friends for Sight. “We did it all at one school early in the morning, just one school came this time, and we saw about 40 kids. But we also had a lot of district leaders and the principal come, which made it really special.”
For many of these students, SightFest has meant more than just a new pair of glasses; it’s meant new opportunities to learn, engage and thrive. DeLeeuw recalled one compelling story that left everyone in awe.
“Toward the end of the SightFest, one of the doctors found that a student had metal stuck in his eye, and it looked like it had been there for almost a year,” she said. “The doctor said rust and blood vessels were growing around it. The student had actually passed the first screening test, so he normally wouldn’t have come to SightFest, but his teachers noticed he was squinting in class and struggling to focus, so they brought him in anyway.”
The discovery was life-changing. The student, who had been disengaged in school for months, turned out to be completely blind in one eye due to the injury. The optometrist who examined him offered to remove the metal and provide follow-up care the following week at no additional charge.
“We were all floored,” DeLeeuw said. “It’s the first time we’ve seen something like this at a SightFest since 2014. It clearly demonstrates the importance of school-based vision care. Parents are busy, many are working multiple jobs to make rent or buy groceries, so eye exams can easily fall to the bottom of the list. This student was in pain and had no idea why. Now he’s getting the help he needs.”
ASD’s large size made this year’s initiative especially ambitious. Friends for Sight typically holds one SightFest per district each year, but Alpine’s sheer number of students and the level of need prompted organizers to host three separate events throughout 2025. Each one reached a new group of students who might otherwise have fallen through the cracks.
“We’re really proud of the work we’ve been able to do this year,” DeLeeuw said. “Our goal now is to triple the number of SightFests across Utah and expand south of Alpine to serve even more districts using this pop-up clinic model.”
Founded in 1955, Friends for Sight is a Utah-based nonprofit dedicated to preserving sight through vision screenings, education, and community outreach. The organization serves thousands of children and adults across the state each year, helping identify undiagnosed eye conditions and providing access to affordable care. SightFest is one of their most impactful programs, bringing mobile vision clinics directly to schools.
For students in need, the benefits are immediate and transformative. Clear vision can enhance academic performance, boost confidence and alleviate behavioral issues associated with vision-related frustration. For teachers, it means finally understanding why a struggling student might not be keeping up.
The Alpine SightFest series has also demonstrated the power of local partnerships. School nurses coordinated logistics, teachers identified students in need and local optometrists volunteered their expertise — all supported by Friends for Sight’s mobile clinic equipment and resources.
“This program is about equity,” DeLeeuw emphasized. “Every child deserves the chance to see clearly and learn comfortably. We’re not just handing out glasses; we’re removing barriers that hold kids back.”
As the last SightFest of the year came to a close, students left with new glasses in hand and smiles on their faces. For some, it was the first time they could clearly see the board at school or the faces of their friends. For others, like the young boy with the injured eye, it meant finally finding relief and answers after a year of silent struggle.
DeLeeuw hopes the program’s success in ASD will inspire other districts to follow suit. “We’ve seen what’s possible when communities come together,” she said. “This isn’t just about vision, it’s about giving every child the chance to succeed.”
As Friends for Sight looks ahead to 2026, the organization plans to expand its SightFest events statewide, bringing free vision care to even more Utah students, one pair of glasses and one life-changing story at a time.
