STUDENT PROGRAMS

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Since its inception, Operation Smile’s Student Programs has been an integral part of the organization, and student involvement has expanded to elementary schools, middle schools, high schools, universities, and medical schools worldwide.

Students often self-initiate campaigns for Operation Smile to raise awareness and donations to fund more surgeries for children in need. Through their school- and community-based fundraising, student volunteers raise an estimated $1 million annually for Operation Smile.

Operation Smile’s Student Volunteer Program is comprised of over 18,000 participants from more than 900 student clubs and associations in more than 40 countries across the United States and in countries including Brazil, Egypt, Honduras, Jordan, Morocco, Paraguay, South Africa, Thailand and Vietnam. Collectively, these dedicated student volunteers have contributed more than 200,000 hours to our organization — building awareness, raising funds and educating other students about the work of Operation Smile and our core values of commitment, leadership and volunteerism.

The Student Programs structure empowers youth, creating a global movement for positive change through Operation Smile’s four pillars of philanthropy: Leadership, Education, Service and Awareness.

International Student Leadership Conference

Each year, hundreds of student volunteers from around the world come together to participate in the International Student Leadership Conference, where they learn how to meet challenges and take confident steps toward leadership and strong character development. The conference helps high school and college students build leadership skills, self-esteem, a lifelong commitment to serving others, and teaches the importance of cultural awareness. Every year the conference is held at a different university around the world, and recognizes and celebrates diversity among our students. We believe that students play a vital role, not only in the future of Operation Smile, but also in the future of the world.

STUDENT PROGRAMS

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Youth volunteers have played an instrumental role in Operation Smile’s success since 1982 when Brigette Magee, the 13-year-old daughter of the Co-Founders, accompanied her parents as the first student on a surgical mission to the Philippines.

Now, Operation Smile selects two outstanding high school student volunteers and an adult student sponsor to participate on each international medical mission. The role of these students on surgical missions is to teach basic health care

to patients and families at the mission site and local hospitals, schools and orphanages. Students give interactive presentations on topics including burn care and prevention, oral rehydration therapy, dental hygiene, basic health and nutrition. Operation Smile provides education and training for these students at bi-annual Mission Training Workshops.

Operation Smile’s U-Voice is a program where select university students go on an international medical mission as student journalists and share unique

insight by conducting interviews and writing online blogs, as well as capturing photos and video for Operation Smile’s official website. The students become experts on Operation Smile, and with every presentation they facilitate, video they create, and story they detail upon their return, countless others learn about the importance of our mission and ways they too can change lives. Operation Smile also provides training for U-Voice students at bi-annual Mission Training Workshops.

Involving Students on Missions