Key Takeaways:
- Every elementary student in the Whitehall City School District received vision care Monday through the state’s OhioSEE program, officials said.
- Students at Kae Avenue Elementary joined Gov. Mike DeWine and Columbus Crew players for a pep rally focused on attendance, reading and eye health.
- OhioSEE now serves 247 school districts across a 15-county pilot area, according to program officials.
- Optical partners Zenni Optical and Vision to Learn provided free comprehensive eye exams and glasses fittings at three Whitehall schools.
- No new funding or policy change was announced; DeWine said he wants OhioSEE to eventually reach every child in Ohio.
Quick Facts:
What: A school pep rally promoted free student vision screenings and literacy.
Where: Kae Avenue Elementary School, Whitehall, Ohio (Whitehall City Schools also includes Beechwood and Etna Road elementary schools).
When: Monday, Sept. 29, 2026.
Who: Gov. Mike DeWine, Columbus Crew, Ohio Department of Health, Zenni Optical, Vision to Learn.
Status: Resolved (single-day event); OhioSEE program is ongoing statewide.
Source: NBC4 Columbus
What Happened
Students at Kae Avenue Elementary in Whitehall gathered Monday morning for a pep rally with Gov. Mike DeWine and Columbus Crew team members. The event promoted school attendance and reading literacy alongside free eye screenings through OhioSEE, the state’s school-based vision program.
The Columbus Crew has partnered with Kae Avenue for three years to screen kindergarten and first grade students’ vision, according to a state news release. This year, Zenni Optical joined to provide full eye exams and glasses fittings. At Beechwood and Etna Road elementary schools, Vision to Learn provided comprehensive exams and glasses fittings for second and third graders. Officials said the combined effort meant every elementary student in the Whitehall district received vision care Monday.
What Officials Said
DeWine thanked the Columbus Crew for helping bring vision care directly into schools. “We’re making great progress, but the goal has to be every child in the state,” he said, according to NBC4 Columbus.
What This Means for Columbus Residents
No roads are closed and no policy changed as a result of Monday’s event. Families in the Whitehall district whose children were screened should watch for results and any recommended follow-up care sent home from school. Parents in other central Ohio districts can check whether their school participates in OhioSEE, which currently operates in 247 districts across 15 counties statewide.
Background
OhioSEE launched statewide in early 2026 after the Ohio Children’s Vision Strike Force found only 26% of students who needed follow-up vision care actually received it, according to the Ohio Department of Health. DeWine first proposed the program in his 2025 State of the State address as part of the state’s two-year operating budget.
What To Do
Whitehall City Schools parents with questions about screening results can contact their child’s school directly. Districts interested in joining OhioSEE can find information through the Ohio Department of Health.
Columbus Frontline will update this story if Whitehall City Schools or the Ohio Department of Health release screening results or expansion plans.