Free eyeglasses given to dozens of local elementary school students

COLLEGE PARK, Ga. — Fifth grader Litzy Alonza has a whole new look.

“It felt amazing! I felt more ‘me,’” Alonza told Channel 2′s Berndt Petersen.

140 students at King Elementary in College Park all had a new look Thursday, and more importantly, 20/20 vision.

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“They light up like little light bulbs,” Optician Stephanie Wilkes said.

Wilkes is with the nonprofit Vision To Learn.

Georgia’s Own Credit Union and the Atlanta Hawks Foundation teamed up with the charity to fund all the eye exams and the new eyeglasses for all of the students.

“It changes your life,” Hawks legend Dominique Wilkins said.

The basketball star helped the children put their new glasses on.

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This is an underserved community where many children have never had an eye exam.

Principal Carl Jackson can’t wait to see the results in the classroom.

“When I was placing them on and seeing them come up for air, it was just precious,” Jackson said.

They’re stylish.

“They’re really pretty. I like the color. It helps me see better,” Alonza said.

This is just the beginning.

Vision To Learn, Georgia’s Own, and the Hawks plan to provide free eye exams to 14,000 Atlanta area students this year and 5,000 pairs of glasses.

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