12-year-old Jonathan Jones recently experienced a life-changing moment when he tried on colorblind-corrective glasses for the first time during a science class at Lakeview High School in Cottonwood, Minnesota. This emotional event was captured on video and is now inspiring efforts to provide similar glasses to other colorblind students.
Jonathan, a student of Principal Scott Hanson, shares a common struggle with color vision deficiency, making it difficult for him to distinguish colors, especially on the periodic table. The glasses he tried were EnChroma glasses, which Hanson had received as a Christmas gift years ago. He brought them to school as an educational tool for teaching genetics.
Upon discovering Jonathan’s condition, Hanson invited him to try on the glasses, leading to a heartwarming reaction filled with joy and surprise. “I’ve been in education for 25 years, and seeing that reaction on his face—pure joy mixed with overwhelming happiness and sadness—was an incredible experience,” Hanson shared.
Jonathan’s parents witnessed this significant moment and quickly set up a GoFundMe campaign to raise funds for his own pair of glasses, which typically cost around $270. Their initial goal was modest, but the campaign gained traction after Jonathan’s brother shared the video of his reaction on Twitter, resulting in over $29,000 raised.
With the surplus funds, Jonathan’s family plans to collaborate with EnChroma to distribute glasses to other colorblind students who cannot afford them. EnChroma has also committed to donating a pair of glasses for every pair purchased through the fundraiser, amplifying their impact on the community.
When humans unite in kindness to address issues, there’s hardly any situation that could not be improved on.