Florida Department of Education Recognizes Seven South Florida 'Successful 75' Award Winners

Tallahassee, Fla., May 30, 2017 – Today, the Department of Education’s Division of Blind Services (DBS) announced seven South Florida recipients of the “Successful 75” Awards. Over the last year, DBS celebrated its 75^th Anniversary with a series of informative, family-friendly events throughout Florida. At each event, local individuals, organizations and businesses were recognized for their outstanding contributions to the blind and visually impaired community.

“It is with great pleasure that I congratulate and thank these individuals for the difference they are making in our blind and visually impaired communities,” said Commissioner of Education Pam Stewart. “We have come a long way in just 75 years, thanks in large part to the individuals, organizations and businesses who have supported our efforts to continue opening doors for blind and visually impaired Floridians. We remain committed to increasing accessibility, and I hope that these recipients will serve as an inspiration for more Floridians to get involved.”

"We are pleased to recognize these dedicated individuals as members of the Division of Blind Services' Successful 75," said DBS Director Robert L. Doyle. "The recipients have worked tirelessly to make a difference in their communities through outreach, advocacy, hiring practices and via their individual commitments to achieve self-sufficiency. Through these efforts, Florida continues to strive to become a barrier-free environment for residents with visual disabilities."

The following South Florida individuals, organizations and businesses were recognized with the Successful 75 award.

Client Award: Virginia Jacko

Virginia Jacko was a successful financial executive at Purdue University, when she experienced gradual vision loss.  Before her permanent appointment as president and CEO of Miami Lighthouse in 2005, Jacko served as a member of the Board of Directors, treasurer, and acting president and CEO. Under her leadership, Miami Lighthouse moved from a two-star to a four-star charity, and it has achieved eight consecutive four-star ratings from Charity Navigator. This achievement has placed the organization among the top two percent of the 8,000 non-profits rated in the nation. 

Community Advocate Award: Dr. Elly Du Pre

Dr. Elly Du Pre has been an instrumental advocate for persons with visual impairments in Miami-Dade and Broward counties with 45 years of experience in the field. She has consistently had a leading role in creating initiatives and developing new opportunities for children, adults and seniors who are blind or visually impaired. In her position as executive director of the Lighthouse of Broward, Dr. Du Pre encourages her staff to engage in the community and she supports clients' desires to interact independently with their sighted community partners.

Community Advocate Award: Paul Edwards

In the late 1970s, Paul Edwards worked for DBS as a rehabilitation teacher where he went to homes and taught people skills that would enable them to adjust to visual impairment. After three years, he became a rehabilitation counselor and worked mostly with high school and college students. In 1983, Edwards moved to Jacksonville to take over as executive director of an agency serving the blind. In 1986, he moved to Miami to serve as the director of Services to Students with Disabilities on the North Campus of Miami Dade College. During his career, he has worked at the local, state and national level to advocate for persons who are blind.

Community Advocate Award: Jim Kracht

A retired assistant county attorney from Miami-Dade County, Jim Kracht is an advocate for making life better for individuals who are blind or visually impaired. He has served on the Florida Council of the Blind for more than 25 years, and is currently the organization’s president. Through his organization, Kracht works to provide resources — educational, social, and economic — to the blind and visually impaired community.

Community Advocate Award: Lisa Kretschmer

Lesa Kretschmer, president of Florida Reading and Vision Technology, is a dedicated advocate for the blind and visually impaired. Through her organization, she has worked extensively with individuals, occupational therapists, low vision doctors and others to provide adaptive technology in the hands of the end user. Kretschmer has conducted hundreds of seminars, workshops and vision fairs around the state and she has been a guest on national and local television and radio programs.

Employee Award: Linda Hernandez

Linda Hernandez has been a dedicated employee of the DBS since March 2003. This past year, Hernandez had the distinguished honor of facilitating the highest number of individual cases to achieve successful employment goals of all the districts in the state. She was able to close 34 cases — a milestone few have accomplished in their careers with DBS. 

Employee Award: Dolores Hanley McDiarmid

Dolores Hanley McDiarmid worked for the DBS in the Fort Lauderdale office as an orientation and mobility specialist. Since 2010, she has been the public awareness project manager at Lighthouse of Broward in Fort Lauderdale. McDiarmid recently wrote the book, “Moved by the Spirit; A Call to Work with People Living with Blindness and Visual Impairments,” which educates medical professionals and the sighted population about living with vision loss and how people can live productive lives if they receive rehabilitation training.

Throughout the year-long anniversary celebration, 75 honorees were bestowed with this honor. For a full list of the DBS Successful 75 Award recipients, click here.

For more information about the Division of Blind Services and its programs, visit dbs.fldoe.org