Summer Fellow

 

Location: Flexible (Preferably Chicago)

Position available SUMMER 2014

Deadline: June 8th

 

Title: Education In Sight Summer Fellow (with a potential trajectory to become the Executive Director in 2016)

Time Period: June 15th- September 15th (3 month period, start/end dates negotiable)

Salary: $4,000 stipend

 

Organizational Overview:

 

The Challenge:

One of the most important challenges in the field of education is also one of its most overlooked: correcting students’ eyesight in low-income communities. In the U.S., 20-25% of all school children suffer from vision defects that ultimately affect their performance in school. This number increases as you move down the socioeconomic ladder. Students living in poor urban environments suffer from twice the normal rate of vision problems. In the US, there are currently 8.8 million children ages 5 to 17 living under the federal poverty level; approximately 3.52 million of them need prescription eyewear. Since roughly 80% of information transmitted in the classroom is presented visually, this is seriously affecting learning outcomes in millions of classrooms around the country every day.

 

The Approach:
Education In Sight believes that providing better vision is a simple but powerful way to improve students’ academic performance. Studies have demonstrated that eyeglasses can improve students’ academic performance by 25%-50%. We partner with teachers and optometrists to provide free vision screenings and glasses to underserved students. Earlier this year, Education In Sight launched its first pilot in Detroit through partnering with Teach For America and the Henry Ford Academy.

 

The Model:

Our program model is unique because we work with teachers and community leaders to bring resources directly into communities. First, teachers notice that students may need glasses. Second, they log in to our website, where they can find a volunteer optometrist in the area. Third, Education In Sight provides the resources for a vision screening, and volunteer optometrists will go on site to perform eye examinations. Next, we provide the glasses and deliver them directly to the classroom. Lastly, we provide educational materials that equip teachers, students, and families with the resources they need to learn about vision and proper eyecare. Under our model, the gap between the need (eyecare) and realization (screenings and glasses) is zero.

 

The Growth:
EIS’s impact has begun affecting more and more students; we saw 400% growth between our pilot year to our first year, and we are projected to grow significantly in the next two years. In 2013-2014, we began operating in one school in Detroit, screening 390 students and distributing 103 pairs of glasses. By 2016, we will be in 50 Detroit schools, screening 20,000 students and distributing 4,640 pairs of glasses. By 2020, we seek to serve one million American students, and to ensure that no student is held back by poor vision or lack of eyecare.

 

Education In Sight has received multiple awards and recognition, including Teach For America’s Social Innovation Award and Yale School of Management’s Education Business Plan Competition.

 

Job Description:  

 

Education In Sight is looking for an entrepreneurial, motivated, and resourceful leader to work as a full-time Summer Fellow with the possibility of a full-time executive role offer in the organization at the end of the fellowship.  We are looking for someone who is interested in public health, education, and/or social entrepreneurship.

 

The Summer Fellow will work closely with the executive team of Education In Sight for three months to develop U.S. operations include (but are not limited to) the following areas:

 

U.S. Program

Online Platform

• Collaborate with a developer to make a working online platform for Education In Sight for teachers and optometrists to use by Fall of 2014

• Requires good communication skills, working knowledge of user-friendly web interface (no coding skills required)

Medicaid

• Research and set up a way for EIS optometrists to bill Medicaid and use existing Medicaid funds to pay for glasses and possibly health services

• Requires good communication and research skills to identify and partner with volunteer optometrists in Detroit

Supply Chain

• Solidify a formal partnership with our current supplier Zenni or another supplier for long-term glasses supply

• Requires good communication and negotiation skills

Customers

• Develop tentative partnerships with schools for the Fall 2014 Screenings

• Requires good communication and planning skills

 

 

Development

Government/Foundational Funding

• Identify and apply to existing governmental funding sources for glasses and eye exams as well as administrative expenses

• Requires good research skills

Private Investors

• Pitch to private investors and fundraise for EIS to raise capital for operational and administrative expenses

• Organize a summer fundraising event

• Requires communication skills, public speaking skills, entrepreneurial spirit, and well developed organization skills and time management

 

Experience, Skills, and Characteristics:

• Two years of work experiences required (second-year Teach For America corps members are encouraged to apply)

• Prior fundraising experience is preferred, but not required

• Proven leadership ability and superb entrepreneurial mindset

• Strong, clear, and effective verbal and written communication skills

• An ability to cultivate relationships with individuals from a wide range of backgrounds

• Relentless pursuit of results and a results-driven approach to analyzing data, setting goals, and completing tasks

• Grit and a willingness to do whatever it takes to get the job done

 

How to Apply:

Education In Sight is soliciting applications for this position immediately. Application deadline is June 8th To apply, please e-mail a resume and cover letter to George Dong, Founder and Co-CEO, at George.dong@teachforamerica.org. Please write “Education In Sight Summer Fellow” in the subject header of the e-mail.