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Putting the 'LEA' in Leadership
With each team representing a different color, and with each color representing a value such as love and honesty, the 400-plus student volunteers from 15 countries learned how, together, their unique skills can make a difference for our patients.
The participants of the eighth annual Latinoamerica en Accion (LEA) conference — held virtually via Zoom — rallied around the theme of "Closer Than Ever." Over the five-day gathering, they heard from inspiring speakers, played a customized version of "Family Feud" and competed in photo challenges over Instagram. Even with all the fun, even with all the motivational and spirited presentations, LEA fundamentally proved that, as one student told us, "even a pandemic can’t tear us apart."
Catch up with all the LEA action here on our blog.
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STUDPRO RECAP
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Our Patients Need Your Support
In a global collaboration spanning at least three continents, student volunteers are busy fundraising and gathering hygiene items to ensure our potential patients are healthy enough to receive surgery when medical missions fully resume in Panama, Nicaragua and Guatemala.
Why we’re doing this: We're "Sending Hope" for little ones like Melanie. Our friends at Operation Smile Guatemala shared her story with us: While our medical volunteers are tending to her during virtual appointments, she's still waiting for surgery. Her operation was scheduled for a medical mission last April, but due to the pandemic, it was postponed. Melanie's family still waits for her surgery in 2021, knowing it will be life-changing for her.
How we're doing this: Our students have broken into cross-continental teams: The U.S Western region and Virginia have teamed up with students in Guatemala (as pictured above), and clubs in the U.S. Northern and Southern regions are paired up with their peers in Panama. Students from European countries are collaborating with students in Nicaragua.
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Spread the Love: Every year around Valentine's Day, we challenge our students to bring Operation Smile's spirit of service to their schools and communities. It's been great to see students bringing positivity to their hometowns: writing thank you notes for their teachers, delivering baked goods to firehouses, mentoring lowerclassmen, and more.
In Virginia Beach, we teamed up once again with our friends at AidNow and delivered food bundles to 45 families in need — that's 900 meals! We worked with guidance counselors to support families from two Virginia Beach elementary schools and one middle school. Thanks to the clubs at Cape Henry Collegiate, Cox and First Colonial High Schools for rallying around this effort.
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Fundraisers for foodies: Put the treat in "treatment" with our roundup of easy foodie fundraisers.
Internship opportunity: Are you super savvy on Instagram and love celebrating the accomplishments of other people? Considering applying to join our Stud Pro media team as an intern!
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STUD PRO PLANS & PROJECTS
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Art with Heart: Thanks to everyone who submitted a piece for our Art with Heart initiative! We're currently reviewing submissions — it's exciting to see your beautiful work! — and we'll reach out to our artists soon.
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OS SHOP ITEM OF THE MONTH Share a smile (and stay safe) with this Operation Smile facemask!
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ADVOCATES IN ACTION
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Pennsylvania: Upper Dublin High School student Aidan Nadell has seen his senior project bloom into what he's calling the Spread Smiles Movement. It all started when he raised $5,000 to rebuild a local preschool's playground, and now he's turned his attention to supporting Operation Smile. Besides selling merchandise, he is planning a trivia night and virtual stride 5K.
You can learn more about this movement here.
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New York: The Scarsdale High School Operation Smile club partnered with their junior class government to raise awareness about Operation Smile and cleft conditions. They did this by selling Valentine's Day gift boxes and (safely) delivering them across town. In each box, club members added a slip of paper explaining Operation Smile's cause, along with a QR code to their club's Smile Fund page. Through these efforts, the Scarsdale club raised $100 to support families with meals in Panama as part of the "Sending Hope" project!
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New Jersey: The Pope John club's candy gram fundraiser was a success! They raised a total of $234, all of which is going to be sent to Panama to provide families with meals as part of the "Sending Hope" project. Through this fundraiser, the club even grew its membership.
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North Carolina: The clubs at Cape Fear Academy (led by president Ali) and Hoggard High School (led by president Morgan) teamed up for a sweatshirt fundraiser! They designed their sweatshirts and promoted them to their friends, family and school. With the sales, the clubs raised $830 to support Operation Smile!
Florida: Led by co-presidents Mia and Maddie, the North Broward Preparatory School club had a busy couple of weeks! First, they hosted a virtual yoga event, and days later, they teamed up with MOD Pizza in Parkland to host a partial proceeds night. Both fundraisers will benefit Operation Smile. The club is now at work on Smile Bags and donations for "Sending Hope!"
The Philippines: We're excited to share that students have formed the country's first college leadership council!
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STUD PRO IN THE NEWS
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• Shayla Gramajo Advocates For Students and Patients During the Pandemic.
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Holly Zoeller Of Operation Smile: "Don't Be Afraid To Ask For Help Or Admit You Don't Understand."
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A PARTNERSHIP TO SMILE ABOUT
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The official sponsor of the @osstudpro Snapshot is Stacked By Suzie!
Just like Operation Smile, Stacked By Suzie is a Virginia Beach-based family venture: Suzie and her daughter Talia create and curate their selection of affordable and on-trend jewelry. That includes Operation Smile-inspired earrings!
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Operation Smile Student Programs
3641 Faculty Boulevard
Virginia Beach, VA. 23453
1-888-OPSMILE
UNSUBSCRIBE
Stacked By Suzie's financial support of Operation Smile is not influenced by the purchase of any Stacked By Suzie product and this promotion does not constitute an endorsement of any Stacked By Suzie product by Operation Smile and its affiliated brands. For more information about Operation Smile Student Programs, please visit https://studentprograms.operationsmile.org.
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