HSC Congratulates School Nurse Sue Voss on Winning National Advocacy Award!
January 04, 2011 | Written By: Healthy Schools Campaign
By Donna Fishman, HSC Director of Training
HSC congratulates Sue Voss on her receipt of the National Association of School Nurses' (NASN) Advocacy Education Award for 2011!
Sue, a school nurse in DeKalb School District 428, is the Government Relations Chair for the Illinois Association of School Nurses (IASN) and serves on HSC's School Nurse Advisory Committee. She won this award because of her advocacy efforts with IASN on legislation related to student health in Illinois.
“Sue Voss has worked tirelessly for the last two years in Illinois to ensure safe care for students with chronic health conditions,” says Linda Gibbons, Illinois Director to the board of NASN, member of HSC's School Nurse Advisory Committee and director of the School Nurse Certification program at National-Louis University. “Sue is very deserving of this award and will further her advocacy training by attending the Nurse in Washington Internship to continue to develop her advocacy skills.”
Sue says she's humbled by the award, an important step in the story of her ongoing advocacy efforts. She says: “It is my mission to improve my ability to collaborate with advocacy groups and individuals who compose legislation regarding chronic health care in Illinois schools. My goal is to initiate legislation and work with sponsoring legislators to write a bill and watch it become law. Ultimately, as a recipient of the NASN Advocacy Award my goal is safe school health care legislation for our schoolchildren, our educators and school nurses so that our schoolchildren receive the best education possible without concerns regarding their health care.”
The award itself celebrates a milestone for school nurse advocacy. NASN Advocacy Education Award was originally named in honor of Sally Williams, NASN's first president (1970-71). Past President Williams worked tirelessly for many years to convince the National Education Association (NEA) to address the unique needs and contributions of school nurses. On July 4,1968 her efforts resulted in the establishment of the Department of Nursing within the NEA. Her vision was to bring school nurses together with a common voice and goal in speaking out on legislative issues that had an impact on school health.
HSC wishes Sue all the best and thanks her for her advocacy to improve student health in Illinois!
Learn more about school nurse advocacy and resources here.
