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Lois Frels Research Award

This award was established in 1991 using seed money donated by Isabelle Barry Rice, a member of Northlakes Division, who, with her husband Bill, is a long-time supporter of school nurses and IASN. The award was established to honor Isabelle's friend and mentor, Lois Frels, RN, BSN, PhD. whom she met while attending a research course taught by Dr. Frels, who is currently President of Frels and Associates, a consulting firm which does research in the education, health and nursing fields; writes grants, accreditation reports, and feasibility studies; and does program development.

Moline elementary schools, and later became the first school nurse at United Township High School in East Moline, where she worked for 10 years. She was a member of Blackhawk Division, and served a term as Division President. Dr. Frels was among the first five school nurses to be awarded the Teacher-Nurse Consultant Certificate (which replaced the Public Health Certification) after the requirements for it were established in June 1961 by the Teacher Certification Board of the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (now the Illinois State Board of Education). Alberta Braden of Wood River, in the Marquette-Kaskaskia Division, received the first one November 22, 1961.

Dr. Frels was the Director of the Division of Nursing at Iowa Wesleyan in Mt. Pleasant, IA. Later she became the Director of the Division of Nursing at Bradley University in Peoria, IL where she currently holds the rank of Professor Emeritus. From 1982-84 she taught research to school nurses in Illinois in conjunction with SNAP (School Nurse Achievement Program) and ISNAP (Illinois School Nurse Achievement Program). It was those courses which sparked Rice's interest in research and its value in documenting the need for comprehensive school health programs under the direction of qualified school nurses. This ultimately led to the establishment of the Lois Frels Research Award of IASN.

The award is an amount up to $500.00, which is offered annually. Funding is supported by proceeds from IASN fundraising projects, and from donations, which may be sent to:

Marian Myers, IASN Executive Secretary, at 1110 White Rock Drive, Dixon IL 61021. Make checks payable to IASN.

Research Award form downloads (under Award category)