YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) – Hundreds of students in the Youngtown and Liberty school districts will have eyeglasses, thanks to the United Way of Youngstown and the Mahoning Valley.

This week, a team of eye doctors are visiting five schools, providing eye exams to students. Children who need glasses will then receive two pairs of glasses — one for home and one for use at school.

It was made possible by a $10,000 donation by DentaQuest EyeQuest vision group and the partnerships of a variety of local organizations.

“DentaQuest’s EyeQuest vision group is committed to ensuring access to quality eye care,” said the company’s Network and Operations Manager Mandy Gilbertson. “That is critically important for all ages – especially for young children in the classroom. It is a privilege for us to support the Youngstown community and ensure that children get the necessary vision exams to monitor eye health and glasses to support their learning.”

Youngstown City Schools CEO Justin Jennings said he’s grateful that the district is part of the vision program again.

“Obviously, a scholar’s inability to see clearly is an impediment to learning so this program is a godsend to those who need it,” Jennings said.

According to the United Way, students who received glasses during previous years saw higher attendance, lower disciplinary rates and a greater improvement in fall to spring standardized Language Arts and Math scores.