Panamerican School: Spring 2011

Panamerican School was equally excited to share their accomplishments. Panamerican School has proven itself as one of the best international schools in the game. They are incredibly excited about Balboa's accomplishments, telling Balboa club members, "Panama has strong student clubs that are making the difference! Keep up the good work Balboa." Eager to be nominated for the Outstanding International Club of the Year at ISCE in Beijing, Panamerican School has certainly gone above and beyond expectations.

Key Panamerican School leader Ana Isabel Correa shared a list of their hard work:


-$200.00 spent in the U-LEAD t-shirts. (First conference)
-An operation smile speech in our school. 8 9 and 10th graders attended and we got 78 new members for our student club.
-$120.00 at SANTOS restaurant. (Fundraising activity)
-$900.00 collected from Coco & Friends Concert. (Balboa gave us 250.00 from their sold tickets)
-$600.00 which will cover more than a half of the smile bags we are giving the children in the cleft lip and palate mission. This activity is being done in conjunction with the Balboa Academy High School.
-$862.00 for the gifts that we are going to give to the patients in the local mission.
-$200.00 for psychological toys that we are going to give in the local mission.
-$840.00 collected from theater ticket sales for Gala performance of the "Sound of Music".
-$200.00 collected from a Bake Sale which was done in the performance of the “Sound of Music”.
-$450.00 collected to cover all the kitchen stuff for the Local Mission Hostel.
-$50.00 for operation smile t-shirts.
-$50.00 collected from the sold operation smile tattoos.
-$600.00 from “What Makes You Smile” activity. (Operation Smile photo day at Panamerican School)
-$815.00 collected from the baby fair. (Operation Smile stand)
-We planned and ran our own U-Lead. (2nd conference in Panama this year)

$5637 collected and spent in Operation Smile :D

Wow! That's amazing Panamerican School. Keep up the good work. I know this is just the beginning. Those other international schools better watch out.

Balboa High School: Spring 2011

Balboa High School was one of the larger groups that attended our U-Lead Conference in March 2011. They are a newer club than the Panamerican School but showed major drive to become the best. By attending the conference, leaders of Balboa High School gained new tools to grow their new club.

Club president Conrad Frey shared their accomplishments with us at the beginning of June:

Balboa High School Operation Smile is proud to announce their accomplishments for their first two months as a Club:
• $1100.00 collected from theater ticket sales for Gala
performance of the "Sound of Music"
• $1000.00 to cover the 200 manuals that we will get printed
for speech therapy that children receive post-op.
• $250.00 which will cover ½ of the smiley bags we are giving
the children. This activity is being done in conjunction with
the Panamerican School.
• Awareness campaigns across all schools PK, Elem, Middle
& High school have been successful. In fact, 2 weeks ago the
MS dragon activities were related to Operation Smile.
• Fundraisers have been successful by raising over $2200
since the club’s creation only 2 months ago!
• Nominated for Best New Student Club of the Year (at the
ISCE leadership conference in Beijing)!


Way to go Balboa! Keep up the good work. 

U-Lead #2

We are incredibly proud to announce that the Operation Smile student leaders of Panama planned and ran their own U-Lead conference! When we went to Panama City, we wanted to "Inspire Waves of Change." The goal of our mission was to give the already strong leaders of Panama to the tools to help others become more involved with the organization and become leaders. The hope was that we would create a ripple effect. We did not just want our impact with our week in Panama. We hoped that students would take what they learned at our three day conference in March 2011 and use that knowledge to teach others in similar conferences. This May, Ana Isabel Correa, Roberto Zuñiga,  and Natalia Londoño completed that goal. With the support of club sponsor, Marìa Gabriela Sagel and Operation Smile Panama, the students worked extremely hard to put together an extremely successful conference. These student leaders were extremely integral part of the first U-Lead conference. After meeting them, we knew that these were leaders with vast amount of potential, passion, and innate talent. It was immediately clear that these students could inspire their peers more than we ever could. We knew that their experience helping to raise money and support medical missions in Panama combined with their amazing drive and commitment to the organization could truly inspire waves of change. We truly cannot express how proud we are of these students. Operation Smile Panama stands as a testament of the vast potential of student leaders in mission countries. As Operation Smile International works to send American students to help on medical missions and U-Lead missions, the organization is also developing sustainable initiatives to unlock the talents of in-country student leaders. This second U-Lead conference shows how students in mission countries are willing and able to make an impact in the organization. This conference signals a shift in the organization to increased in-country student involvement.  The first U-Lead conference in Panama was simply a push in the right direction. We gave these students tools to help others and they exceeded expectations in every way.
We hope that other countries will follow Panama's lead. Operation Smile Panama has been incredibly supportive of student initiatives and now holds one of the strongest Student Programs in the world. While the organization works to complete screenings, medical missions, and post-op therapy, they are also looking toward the future by training the leaders of tomorrow.

Way to go Panama! We are so proud of you. Keep Inspiring Waves of Change.

U-Lead #2: Marìa Gabriela Sagel

In 2011 Ive helped to organized 2 U-lead in Panama. Each of them have really been an experience.IN March we atendend to the U-LEAD with Carlos Veron, James Raid, Danielle Rivera, Megan Lloyd and Jennifer Mings , they teached us a lot and we learned from them what a U lead truelly is. This group was great. In May 15 we organized the conference for Academia Interamericana de Costa del Este and Cerro Viento School. I started planning and organizing with the leaders as soon as I got the date.Our job started in May 2 when me got together to Nutrition and Dental hygiene material. We worked together to fix the agende to prepare Powerpoints and Videos. We only counted with 8 hours of conference. I think they key of the success was getting together the day before to see the agenda and fix whatever we had to and then see who was going to be in the checking in, see what materials we had missing, and see where we were going to put the rest of our stuff. The truth is, our details with the itinerary was also the best thing we could’ve done. The day of U-lead was finally here. This time is a different experience, one of the leaders wasn’t able to go so I had to take her spot as a leader. Being honest, I was nervous, it was the first experience of the guys giving a conference all by themselves. Our first activity was the Ice Breakers, we all danced together and in that moment I took at deep breath and I knew the conference was going to be a real success. We didn’t had shy kids, they all wanted to participate in the different activities. That’s how we started the speech from OPS,and  began with the interactions with the leaders and breaking into groups at 10:00AM. We divided the group in 4 differents groups that represented the 4 pilars. All the pillars were very well performed, the group did such beautiful presentations about education, awareness, service, and lidership. For the students to see what a patient needs to go through we developed a scavenger hunt. My students really impressed me with the game, it was excellent! The groups from both showed us that they had really good fundraising ideas and they expressed their ideas with a unique enthusiasm. The Cerro Viento School did a play about Dental Hygiene that was excellent, sincerely made us laugh a lot, they showed us their presentations that they really got the real purpose of Operation Smile. We had some technical difficulties, the conference was a Sunday so we didn’t all the personal to help ups with the problems, we didn’t know why in one computer we could se the image but no audio we had to connect both of the computers and count 1,2,3. Now and then put the videos at the same time so we could hear and also see them. I really liked how they fixed the  problem with the presentations very quickly. This shows that they have the capacity to find a solution and go on. Im very satisfied with all of the team that worked together: Operation Smile Panama and the sponsor of both schools, the group of leaders and the students invited to U-lead. Im sure that Panama is a country that’ll surprise with their volunteers. We’ve found many dynamic people and with a lot enthusiasm for helping.

*Marìa Gabriela Sagel, or "Teacher Gabi," is an Operation Smile club sponsor at the Panamerican School in Panama City, Panama. She has been an key part of developing Student Programs involvement in Panama.

U-Lead #2: Ana Isabel Correa

When I received the news that I was going to pilot a U-LEAD conference, I was more surprised than when I received the notice I was elected as a Panamanian leader. When I attended the first U-LEAD conference in Panama, which was given by James Reid, Jennifer Mings, Megan Lloyd and Danielle Rivera, I was just helping them. I wasn't even a team leader, but in this case, I was going to give the conference, to talk about everything they talked, and to LEAD. I was nervous of the fact that I was going to talk in front of 50 people, but thanks to James, Jenn, Megan and Dani, we gave an amazing conference because we learned a lot from them and they were very influential for us. I have to say that they showed us the real meaning of leadership!

Definitely, the First U-LEAD had a positive impact in my life, and that's why I wanted to make an impact in other volunteers life. So the planning began 1 month before in order to have everything ready for the conference that would be held in May. Gaby helped us a lot. She did an amazing schedule to cover all the 3-day-material in ONE DAY. We talked about Dental Hygiene, Nutrition, fundraising activities, the 4 pillars (education, service, leadership and awareness) and Oscentral . Of course, the best part of the conference was the Ice Breakers. EVERYBODY loved it!! They told us that the ice breakers helped them to create a comfortable mood and they were in the right moment, I really had a lot of fun while I was in the conference. I’m pretty sure that most of all the students that attended this conference learned a lot.

After the conference, I read every single paper in which the students wrote their opinions. Fortunately, no one had any complain. The students loved the group colors division, the "U-LEAD welcome" and the team presentations. Both schools, Academia de Costa del Este and Academia de Cerro Viento, made an excellent presentation about Dental Hygiene and Nutrition.

While I was reading, there were like 5 papers missing, when I suddenly found a paper in which my name was written. It was anonymous, and it said that "Leadership is what Gisselle and Ana Isabel had showed us today, they we're very influential for us and someday I want to do the same they did today". That's when I realized that I made an positive influence in their lives.

Last but not least, I’m so happy to say that I'm part of Operation Smile, and I never thought it would change my life. I hope to continue working on it and spread smiles all over the world. The world needs leaders, and that’s what Operation Smile turn people in.

U-Lead #2: Roberto Zuñiga

 It was a very pleasant experience for me to return and be part of a U-lead meeting. Thank God it turned out to be excellent! This is the first time that U-lead was carried out in Panama entirely by Panamanian leaders. All the expectations were met. Thanks to our hard work we made it possible for the persons who attended this meeting to change the way they thought regarding other noble people. To help the needy without expecting anything in return. They came out of this meeting feeling like new persons. They came out as leaders, being able to help others, following the right path by joining this great organization, Operation Smile.

U-Lead #2: Natalia Londoño

I've been involved with operation smile since 2009, I remember my first experience with it was a conference that we took in Panama that was similar to ULEAD conference, but it wasnt at all, my team leader was Barron, and I remember that I was always asking him about how to become a team leader here in Panama. That year I graduate from school so in 2010 I wasn’t that involved in every Operation Smile activities because I didn’t have enough time, but I was always helping with donations or some other little things. This year I returned to be an active volunteer because I have more time to assist in all the activities, so I was invited to the U-LEAD conference given here in Panama. It was an amazing experience because even though I have already went to an ISLC in Virginia, the U-lead given by James, Jennifer, Megan and Danielle was amazing because it was a very close and touching experience. Two months later, I had the fortune to be chosen as a leader in the first U-Lead given and organized in Panama by US!! First when they told me I was a little nervous because I had never had this experience of speaking in front of so many people. But I assumed the challenge because it was an opportunity that couldn’t be missed and that would help me to improve my skills of that I´ve always wanted to be in the organization, a leader. It turned out to be an amazing experience, we all made an excellent team work so that everything worked out in a good way, I think we fulfilled our purpose with the people who attended the conference, and we had the pleasure to work with people with a great motivation and a deep desire to be part of this wonderful organization. We divide all in 4 diferent groups, each one presented the 4 pilars and we did it in a very dynamic way, they were all very creative and participative in all the activities that we planned for them, we also talked about nutrition and dental hygiene and im sure that they loved the U-LEAD conference. I feel very gratefull to had this experience and more than anything of being part of Operation Smile.

Reflection: Megan

Reflecting back on my experience of piloting U-lead in Panama is an overwhelming task simply because there was so much effort, time, and planning that went in to making the conference such a success.   When I applied to College Council over the summer I had no idea that I would be so lucky as to participate in piloting this program.  We discussed this program very briefly at a retreat in Utah but knew nothing in detail about u-lead until our locations were relayed to us by Katie on one of our numerous conference calls. I was elated to hear that I would be going to Panama City, Panama with Dani Rivera, James Reid, and Jennifer Mings.  I have worked closely with them for many years; we all went to high school in New Mexico so we had grown to know each other well. Going to Panama with Operation Smile definitely took the cake for best spring breaks, and going with these three was the icing on top.  And so the planning began the minute we all arrived in Norfolk,VA in January for the University Symposium.

The University Symposium is not for the faint of heart.  We spent two complete days working to plan out every fine detail of the schedule for the three day conference that would be held in March. There was so much to consider while planning this and as a group we were simply given a very minimal budget, a few guidelines, and that was it.  We were on our own to fill the conference days with constructive activities for building a strong student club, communicating with your community, gaining leadership skills, fundraising ideas, and spreading awareness about Operation Smile within Panama.  We also somehow managed to coordinate all four of our hectic schedules for the school year so that we could squeeze in an essential conference call once a week, luckily that time worked well also for our sponsor who was in Paraguay, Carlos Veron. Over the next few weeks that followed the symposium we slowly knocked out a few tasks at a time, a power point presentation here and a t-shirt order there.  When the time finally arrived for us to head down to Panama I was filled with a sense of pride knowing that we all worked so well together and had a blast doing it.  We were efficient and on time with almost everything we hoped to accomplish, and our communication with one another was wonderful. Even communicating with Carlos all the way in Paraguay went well thanks to Skype.  Although the daily ten to fifteen e-mails were a bit overwhelming and all the additional work on top of our individual Operation Smile clubs, school work, and jobs pushed each of us to our limit almost daily, it was all more than worth it in the end.  

                  I was still in disbelief that I was even going to Panama by the time I landed there.  It quickly set in though that I had arrived and it was all actually happening when we were greeted immediately by Maria, Roberto, Ana, Carlos, and “teacher” Gabby. I instantly felt like I had known them all for a life time because of their genuine enthusiasm and kindness towards the four of us.  They were with us every step of the way once we got settled in and the final details were being planned for the conference. I was so impressed to see the dedication for Operation Smile that was displayed by the three student leaders, Maria, Roberto, and Ana.  I hope that they will keep up their work with Operation Smile and that the u-lead conference will continue to have a positive impact on them and their fellow students in the region.  I was blown away by their passion for Operation Smile, which was clearly shown in the beautiful video they had made from a mission that they had attended in the more rural area of Panama.  I was so glad to see that they had the opportunity to see what an amazing cause they are working so hard for and that they could appreciate it firsthand.  The Panamerican School sponsor, Gabby, was lovingly referred to as our little conference “pusher” since she never took fundraising of the brain.  In between guest speakers and break out sessions Gabby would be selling Op Smile tattoos, bouncy balls, shirts, cups, cookies, and any other type of merchandise a student could want to represent Operation Smile.  She is the queen of raising money for Operation Smile, the back seat of her car was like a moving storage facility full of Operation Smile merchandise I(It reminded me all too well of my own car trunk!). She is adored and loved by all of her students and I can definitely understand why. Gabby has a huge heart when it comes to giving to others and I know she is going to continue to do amazing things for this organization.  She was so helpful in taking us around the city to get supplies or get us to whatever location we needed to be at next.  She was always willing to help in any way that she could and for that I was extremely thankful.  Xenia was also incredibly instrumental in getting us from point A to point B every day.  Every morning she was there at our hotel to pick us up and take us where we needed to go.  I absolutely think the world of her and am in awe of what a strong student program she has created in Panama. 

                  Every day of the conference was better than the day before. We started off not really knowing what to expect, who to expect, and what languages we were going to have to work with. It was all really unknown to us so we had to just roll with the punches.  As the days went on it seemed more and more like a little ISCE, but instead of 600 students we only had 50.  I thought that 50 students was such a perfect amount because by the end of the 3 day conference I had learned all of their names and really gotten to know the majority of them.  It was amazing to me how much growth I saw in some of the students in such a short period of time.  This conference took them out of their shells and turned them into leaders.  They gained confidence and grew a strong sense of desire to go spread awareness of Operation Smile in their region.  By far the best part of this conference for me was the service project the students did in the hospital.  They put together posters and presentations for nutrition and dental hygiene modules and presented them to children and parents in the waiting rooms.  They were all very nervous at first that the parents wouldn’t be receptive to listen to what they had to say but they rehearsed their presentations, learned the facts, and put together beautiful posters anyway.  When they finally reached the waiting room I saw an instant change wash over them once they realized how influential these presentations were on the families. After doing a few presentations to families two of the girls on my team spotted a little boy crying in the check-in line with his mom.  They walked over with  big smiles on their faces, handed him a tooth brush , and talked to him for just a few minutes before the tears stopped and the smile appeared.  I was so proud of them in that moment and I hoped that they knew their small action most likely made that little boy’s day. Something as simple as a tooth brush and a smile can change a kid’s day for the better. When the morning finally came for us to pack up and leave Roberto, Ana, and their parents picked us up from our hotel in two cars well before the sun was even up.  As James and I got out of Ana’s car her mom told us that we were welcome any time and that we will always have a family in Panama.  I knew this was true, these people are my family and I’m so blessed to know them. Operation Smile has brought so many amazing people from all over the world into my life and I will always cherish the time I was able to spend with such inspirational people.

I want to thank the University of New Mexico Operation Smile club for their amazing support for me and the entire U-lead program.  This program was definitely a group effort, which even included people who were not directly involved with the conference.  The UNM club was nice enough to hold a bake sale fundraiser to raise money to pay for and supply t-shirts as gifts for the wonderful speakers we had come talk at the conference.  Jon Dominguez, my right-hand man when running the UNM club, generously designed the u-lead Panama t-shirt that we all rocked daily at the conference.   Audrey Young, a mother of a club member, was extremely kind and made 50 pillow cases for children to use while recovering from surgery in post-op during an upcoming mission in Panama.  I thank you all, your commitment and passion for this organization is an inspiration. I am so proud and humbled to call you my friends, I could not ask for better.  

I would also like to thank TEAM PANAMA! You made this entire experience worth my while and have all enriched my life more than I can explain.  James, I never would have imagined all those years ago that you would have come this far with this organization and been able to impact so many lives in the process.  I have watched you grow with Operation Smile and your dedication and passion for helping others is contagious. You have the best heart and spirit about you, something I really admire in you.  You made an amazing team leader, I am so impressed with your ability to stay organized and keep your cool while living the wild life that you do! Jenn, oh Jenn. Sorry I am REALLY sorry that I can’t spend every single day with you.  No one makes me laugh like you do; you definitely made u-lead Panama a blast for everyone! I am so proud of the work you have done with Op Smile and I am so excited to see what you can accomplish in the next few years. I really admire your ability to stay true to everything you believe in no matter what other people say, a trait that is reflected in your leadership strength when running your own Op Smile club. Dani, you created the most positive vibe while we were in Panama.  You constantly had a smile on your face and a bright outlook on the day.  You are so willing to take on any task anyone throws your way, no matter how daunting it may be.  I am so happy I was able to get to know you better during this entire process! Carlos, thank you so much for being such a wonderful sponsor! I speak for all of us when I say that you made this experience a great one. You were so incredibly helpful during the planning process and we could not have done it without you.  I am really glad I finally got to meet you, can’t wait to see you in China!

Operation Smile has taught me so much these past 6 years and has definitely shaped me into the person that I have become today. I have gained so much from the opportunities that have been given to me and I am thankful that Operation Smile continues to have the confidence in me to pursue these opportunities as best I can.  The place where I am most at ease, feel most needed, and am most humbled is with Operation Smile.  U-lead has already changed many lives, including mine, and I look forward to seeing how the program will grow in the future.  I am confident that u-lead is here to stay and will continue to reach students all around the world, inspiring each of them to be the change.

Reflection: Dani

It’s been a little over a week since we have returned from Panama City, and like any Operation Smile experience, nothing but a long response could describe just how incredible and worthwhile it was. It may be a bit redundant to say that Operation Smile is an incredible organization, but it has an amazing quality that as Jenn puts it, makes it better than real life. Operation Smile gives us the chance to really do something with our lives. It’s a place where the present is so important and amazing, that all of the other stuff that usually distracts us falls away. My trip with our sponsor Carlos Veron and fellow College Council members Megan Lloyd, James Reid, and Jennifer Mings was no different. From the moment we got through customs, (next time I should probably read the form a bit more closely!) the students who worked so hard from Panama to help us put the conference together surrounded us. Ana, Maria, and Roberto were absolutely amazing, and we are also grateful for all of the help and support they provided both before and during the conference. Not only that, but they also were often our taxis and tour guides, and we had a great time getting to know them as we got everything ready for the conference and for our team day. All three of them are such incredible leaders and I am so glad that we got to work with them.

After our fantastic days spent shopping for supplies, putting together the final aspects of the conference, promoting Operation Smile on the radio, and checking out the Panama Canal, we finally were ready for the conference. After all of our preparation, the weekly conference calls, and the constant emails, the conference finally began. We worked so hard to put this all together, and it was with a great deal of excitement and nerves that we began. We were nervous because we weren’t certain how great the language barrier would be. However, the students who came to the conference were so enthusiastic and fun to be around that, despite the difference in language, we didn’t struggle much. Those who were fully bilingual were always willing to help us out, and those who weren’t were so enthusiastic about Operation Smile that communication was much easier than it would have otherwise been.

While there were many highlights to the conference, including the hard lessons learned in the What is it Like to be a Patient Scavenger Hunt, our enthusiastic speakers, and the games, my favorite part of the conference was the service project that the students did on the morning of the last day. I think of this moment as proof that our conference was really effective and worth their time, and ours.

Typically, mission-training students get more time to prepare, spend more time with the information, and have more resources. Each of our breakout groups had great students who were so inventive in the way they presented the information, and all of the groups had bright, hands-on posters that invited kids and their parents to participate.

I remember going through mission training over a year and a half ago, stressing over how much I was supposed to remember, how to make it interesting, and how to make it interactive. Since the students were working with even less time, we were a bit nervous how it was going to go. However, they absolutely and completely surpassed all of our expectations and genuinely made a difference. Some of the students in my group were put in a waiting room in the far end of the hospital. The TV was bouncing back and forth between Spanish music and infomercials, and the few families in the waiting room looked exhausted and stressed. The students hovered together around the entrance, the natural reaction to being thrown into a new situation. It’s that first moment on the mission where suddenly, you’re there and there are people all around, and you’re not quite sure how to start. The students glanced at each other, and then the moment passed and each pair headed off to a different family. Their confidence in their presentations was incredible, and the families were all appreciative for their presentations. One family, of a mother with her young son and baby daughter were waiting for the boy’s blood to be drawn. Very shortly into their presentation, he was called back to get his blood drawn, and he returned in tears. Instead of shying away from the emotional boy, four students compassionately surrounded him, dental hygiene and nutrition posters in hand. In order to staunch his tears, one of the girls removed the pin holding her name tag to her shirt, got a slip of paper from the hospital desk, and created a homemade sticker, that said “superhero” for him to wear. Meanwhile, the other three girls encouraged him to participate in removing the germs from their poster of a dirty mouth. Though he was still watery-eyed, he began to remove germs, completely forgetting about his sore arm. These four girls were so successful, that not only did they manage to teach the family about basic dental hygiene but they also managed to deal with the situation at hand without a blink of an eye.

These presentations, which are done on medical missions, can be difficult, and just like the rest of the students at the conference the girls did an amazing job with it. After the service project, James, Megan, Jenn and I were all so proud of how well it went, and how well the students adapted to each situation.

The conference really was a success, and I’m so glad I had a chance to work with James, Megan, and Jenn for these past few months to put it all together. Though we are all from Albuquerque, New Mexico, I was the only one of the four of us that attended Bosque High School. I was so grateful for the chance to get to know all of them better. James has one of those personalities that is just so much fun to be around. He did an amazing job spearheading the planning for this conference, and it was largely thanks to his extra work communicating with Operation Smile Panama that made this conference work. Megan is one of the most genuine people I know. We’re the two newbies on the College Council, though if you watched Megan working you would never know it. She is such a hard worker and so creative. She has done some absolutely incredible things with her club, and I want my college club to follow in UNM’s footsteps, because Megan and her club do such great things. I’ve had the chance to work with Jenn in high school through Operation Smile, and it absolutely amazes me what this girl can do. Her drive is absolutely astonishing. She may be one of the busiest people I know, and despite being so busy, she still manages to do a great job on everything she tries. Finally, we were so lucky to have Carlos as our sponsor. I’m so glad that he now works for Operation Smile, because he is such a great addition to student programs. He was willing to do whatever it took to make sure the little things all came together, becoming our translator, tech guy, and he also kept track of the budget. He was also one of our most popular speakers for the conference, and such a fun person to be around.

I am so thankful for this opportunity and for the chance to meet and work the people, from Xenia, Catherine, at Operation Smile Panama, to Gabi, who is so hardworking and talented, to Roberto, Ana, and Maria, to Jenn, James, Megan, and Carlos, to finally the students themselves. It was all of these people who really made this experience the crazy, fun, educational, life-changing experience that it was.

Reflection: Jenn

It has nearly been a week since I was in the Panama airport dreading my trip back home. I love college, learning new things, and my friends just as much as the next college student, but there's always something that is so much better about doing volunteer work for Operation Smile. We always joke about doing work for OpSmile as being "fake life" but in reality, it's just so much better than the "real life". Being around inspirational people all the time, helping an amazing cause, and actually being able to make a difference...yeah, that doesn't sound real does it? Sure, helping and volunteering back home is great, but there's always something better about being able to see your impact firsthand.

When I was informed in January that I would be going to Panama City, Panama with James, Megan, and Dani, I was ecstatic. I have been involved with Operation Smile for almost five years now and have known James, Megan, and Dani almost as long. I knew that we would be able to put on a successful conference using the strengths and abilities each of us had and that was demonstrated right away. As soon as we were told about Panama, we began work. We completed a complete outline of our conference, held an hour long conference call with the executive director of Operation Smile Panama, and set up weekly deadlines. The task ahead seemed super daunting, but I had faith that we were fully capable. Having helped plan an International Student Leadership Conference and a Mission Training Workshop while on the Executive Leadership Council, I knew that planning any conference for Operation Smile required a lot of work. However, we had previously had the help of the amazing Student Programs and I was a little terrified at the idea of planning a conference entirely alone. And when I say alone, I mean it. We were given a budget, told not to go over it, and then...everything was up to us. Like...um...what?!?! While it was a daunting task, we were definitely up to the challenge.

Nine weeks, 12 conference calls, countless emails, and many sleepless nights later, I was sitting on the plane next to James trying to get it into my head that I was actually going to Panama. The rest of my friends were either going home or going to Mexico for Spring Break and I was about to embark on a life changing trip. It wasn't until I got off the plane in Panama City and saw the signs in Spanish that I realized it was actually happening. I immediately felt nervous, happy, and excited all at the same time. I stopped thinking about my midterm grades and the immense amount of homework I had due the day I got back and started thinking of all the things we STILL had to do.

As we exited customs in the airport (yeah, we had problems...probably should have thought ahead), we were greeted by Ana, Maria, and Roberto. These three Panamanian students are some of the most inspirational people I have ever met. They tirelessly worked side by side with us to ensure that the U-Lead conference went successfully. Without them, the conference would have been impossible to put on. Not to mention they helped us out whenever there was a language barrier (probably should have worked on ordering food in Spanish before we went...oops.) In addition, we met Gabby. This student sponsor is one of the most vivacious and dedicated women I have ever met. Whenever she wasn't helping us at the conference, she was selling Operation Smile cups and balls for cincuenta centavos (50 cents :)) I can honestly say that these four people are some of the most welcoming, hilarious, inspirational, and dedicated people I have ever met.

The conference itself was full of inspirational speakers, but most of the talking was done by us. We talked about the importance of being involved with Operation Smile and how to further get involved. We shared our own personal mission stories and played many emotional videos. We also taught two health modules that are taught at Mission Training Workshop--dental hygiene and nutrition. In fact, James and I often reveled at how the U-Lead conference was turning into a mini Mission Training Workshop. In fact, similar to Mission Training, the students at U-Lead were required to make their own versions of the dental hygiene and nutrition health modules. We required this not only to help the students grasp a better understanding of the information, but also because on the last day we had a service project arranged involving the health modules. The service project had the students go out into the hospital and present the modules to the children and their parents. I had many apprehensions about the service project. I wasn't sure if there would be enough children to present to, if we would run into problems with the hospital staff, if parents would reject our students' offers to educate, or if our students would take their tasks seriously. Luckily, the service project went perfectly. In fact, the service project was probably my favorite activity of the entire conference. As I watched my group (PURPLE TEAMMM!) disperse throughout the waiting room, I felt instantly relieved. The students on my team weren't nervous at all and went straight to the first children they saw. I started to tear up as I saw the faces of the kids they were presenting to. They were eager to practice brushing their teeth and stopped everything they were doing to listen. My students gained confidence after every presentation, asking me if they could do more, if they could go to different waiting rooms, if they could present to just adults because there weren't enough children. I was instantly reminded of myself on my mission, 16, eager, and trying to make a difference. Seeing them present brought me back to that little town in Ethiopia and all of the children that I was able to help. The reason I am so infatuated with Operation Smile is because it not only allows volunteers to help change lives, but it also dramatically changes the volunteer's life. I can honestly say that without Operation Smile, I would be an entirely different person than I am today.

As I said above, I have known Megan, James, and Dani for practically forever. Megan is actually the reason I first became involved in Operation Smile. I first became friends with Megan through swimming and was able to see her leadership skills in both the swim team and Operation Smile. Her passion and drive motivated me to come to meetings; I admired her dedication to the cause. That very same passion and dedication still exists today. James Reid. James is one of my closest friends and I was really excited to be able to go to Panama with him. He was the president of our high school club the year before me and I have always strived to be as good of a leader as him. He is certainly one of the most inspirational people I know and has definitely changed my life. Can't really imagine life without that lanky sunburned boy (: While not as close to Dani because she went to a rival high school (booo Bosque...jk ;)) I have always admired Dani's dedication to Operation Smile. Dani is one of the hardest workers I know and I feel blessed to have gotten to get to know her better in Panama. Last but not least, Carlos Veron. As our student sponsor, it was his job to help us with anything and everything we needed. Carlos went above and beyond his job. Carlos' amazing personality completed our student team. He helped make participants more comfortable, translated whenever needed, did an AMAZING presentation on leadership, and dealt with our shenanigans (we are kinda crazy). I love Carlitos! I am so glad that he now works for Operation Smile and know that he will do an amazing job in his position.

So, for all of you reading that have asked me in the past week, "Jenn, HOW WAS PANAMA?!" I hope this answers your question. Volunteering with Operation Smile cannot be summed up shortly. My week in Panama was full of emotion and experiences that I will never forget. I feel truly honored that I was given the opportunity to launch the pilot U-Lead program in Panama. I know that our conference has helped to give student volunteers in Panama a new perspective on volunteering with Operation Smile, and I hope that it has helped to change their lives. I know that it has changed mine.

--Jenn

Reflection: James

Upon arriving home, I was immediately bombarded with the question, "How was Panama?" Like many Operation Smile experiences, it is difficult to put into words. In short, Panama was a once in a lifetime opportunity that I will never forget. I feel proud and accomplished to say that I was able to put on a three day conference for about 50 students in Panama with the Megan Lloyd, Jennifer Mings, and Dani Rivera. I think our efforts really paid off and we ultimately made an impact in the lives of high school students, inspiring them to become leaders, become more involved with philanthropy. I hope that U-Lead Panama 2011 really motivated the students to act on their goals and to make a difference in the world. I went to Panama hoping to change the lives of others, but I soon realized that the experience changed my life.

After concluding a hectic round of midterm exams in the second semester of my sophomore year of college, I set off for Panama City, Panama to pilot a U-Lead initiative for Operation Smile. While I certainly love Boston, the city I go to school in, it has a few flaws. The city is often cold and always filled with college students who are constantly racing around at an unrelenting pace. I am frequently confronted with biting winds,  apathetic college students, and the stereotypically icy attitudes of New England people. Panama allowed to see the world in a fresh way. From the moment I stepped off the plane in Panama, I knew that I was in for a massive culture shock. Immediately we were warmly embraced by the in-country student leaders who helped us plan the conference and our great Paraguayan sponsor Carlos Veron. I soon grew to love the hot weather and slow pace of the country, known lovingly as "Panama Time."

Instantly I felt incredibly grateful for this experience. Operation Smile Student Programs entrusted us to create, plan, and lead an entire conference all by ourselves in a foreign country. This program was a pilot program, being tested for the first time in Panama and India by the 7 students, including myself, that make up the newly formed College Council. Our work will ultimately determine whether or not this is a sustainable initiative and whether or not other students would have this opportunity. Like any non-profit organization, budgets are often tight, and opportunities like this are not handed out often. Our team immediately felt the pressure to succeed at the task at hand, but we also felt empowered and trusted by the organization we love. I have significant experience planning and running conferences, including 2 International Student Leadership Conferences and 3 Mission Training workshops. But this was unlike anything I've ever done before. Unlike the other experiences, our team was responsible to do almost everything on our own, with little support from Operation Smile staff. We worked from scratch to produce a schedule, a student manual, a conference t-shirt. We had to find and confirm guest speakers and work out every little detail of the conference, bracing ourselves as best we could for the inevitable last minute changes. Sometimes the task felt incredibly daunting and stressful, pushing us to our limits as we worked to balance school, a social life, our school clubs,  contact with regional clubs, and this massive task.  I frequently  skipped lunch to squeeze in more work, answering the 5-10 e-mails that accrued in my inbox in only a few hours on a daily basis. At times I felt like planning U-Lead was consuming my life, but perhaps more than anything, my week in Panama taught me that nothing worth doing comes easily. In order to make a difference, I knew I had to put my all into this initiative. After dozens and dozens of hours of volunteer work and three months of weekly conference calls, we made a plan that would lay the basis for the many U-Lead conferences again. Along with U-Lead India, we can now proudly say that our work can be used for years to come to change the lives of others.

After three months of intensive work, we set off for Panama, nervous, anxious, and excited to put our plan into action. I asked myself: Would everything go as planned? Is this even worth our time? Will we make an impact? What will the Panamanians be like? Will be able to handle this? I found that our work payed off more than we expected. I immediately began to love Panama City. It is a vibrant city that represents a dramatic clash between the first and third worlds, offering many of the pluses and minuses of both. The people were extremely welcoming, proudly showing us around their beautiful country, welcoming us into their homes, and doing everything they could to make us feel comfortable.  At every turn of the time, our new friends extended themselves beyond measure to make sure we enjoyed ourselves, driving us around the city and squeezing in tourist sites when and were we could. I found myself ending each night happier than the one before. I became more and more grateful for the experience and fell more and more in love with the people and culture of Panama. Sometimes, we struggled to break through language barriers, but every time we met someone new they undoubtedly asked us one question: "Do you like Panama?" Each time I thought to myself, why do they even ask? Of course I love Panama!



For me, the greatest part of the conference was doing a service project in the hospital. We had spent the second day teaching the students about dental hygiene and nutrition, having them to develop presentations on these health modules. On the third day the students went around the hospital where our conference was held, presenting their knowledge to parents and children to simulate a mission experience and hopefully change some lives. Admittedly I was nervous about how this service project would go. I was worried about whether or not they were prepared enough to give presentation, since a formal Mission Training Workshop allows for much more time and practice. But when I saw those students in action, I saw myself on my mission. Their enthusiasm, courage, and passion blew me away. Memories of my experience in Agadir, Morocco in June 2008 flooded back and my biggest hopes were materialized. The students exceeded expectations and came back feeling accomplished and eager to make a greater impact. This service project really showed the unlimited potential of the world's youth. It showed how anyone, anywhere can make a difference in the world with just a little instruction.  Often Operation Smile medical missions are full of parents and children that don't have basic information about health. Student Programs has worked over the years to develop health modules that allow students to go on medical missions as student educators. Operation Smile is one of the only non-profit organizations in the United States that empowers students by allowing them to go on international medical missions. Operation Smile often sends mostly American students on these missions, but this service project really showed what a difference amazing in-country foundations like the one in Panama can make in the world. I strongly believe that youth anywhere can change the world if they are given the right tools.

I am so grateful to have such an amazing team of leaders to work with. Megan, Jenn, and Dani are definitely some of the most inspiring people, I've ever met. We all come from Albuquerque, New Mexico. When I first got involved with the organization, our region was nothing but a small blip on the Student Programs radar, but the three years of Albuquerque leaders on the U-Lead team really show how much we have come. Thanks to the empowerment and trust of staff and sponsors, we've been able to make a huge impact in the world despite the fact that our region is less economically fortunate than other parts of the country. Megan is the person who dragged me to my first Operation Smile meeting--an action that changed my life forever. She is someone who I have looked up to throughout my involvement in Operation Smile. Jenn is one of the amazing leaders that I passed the torch to after I graduated high school. I am so proud of the leader that she has become, growing as a person and reflecting many of the qualities I want to see in myself. Dani is the one that helped our club at Cibola High School grow into a region by spreading Operation Smile at her high school at Bosque, getting involved at an early age, and helping to establish a powerful club and region in New Mexico. These young women are undoubtedly strong leaders that have changed my life and made me feel so fortunate to be working alongside them. 

Overall, I feel extremely proud about how successful our U-Lead Conference went. Of course it was not perfect. We had a few organizational problems, and sometimes we were forced to confront unexpected circumstances. No conference is flawless, but I feel like the initiative was a resounding success. I am excited that university students may have a similar experience in the future because this conference represents a culmination of 5+ years of hard work. I am proud that I have worked to earn this opportunity and am extremely grateful for the responsibility that was give to me. The week in Panama proved to me, once again, that this is what I want to do for a living. I wanted the conference to be about "Inspiring Waves of Change." I wanted to motivate students to make a difference and get more involved, but their passion, dedication, enthusiasm, vast potential and willingness to learn had a profound impact on me. I know that there is nothing that makes me happier than this. I know that I want to continue my work with Operation Smile and to continue my efforts to make the world a better place for the rest of my life. 

The Final Day…why are we leaving again

After learning about health modules on dental hygiene and nutrition the day before, the students really came prepared today.  Many students had continued to improve their health modules at home and returned to the hospital with presentations that looked like they could be at mission sites.  It is fair to say that we were more than impressed.  While many of the students were nervous to go out into the hospital to present, their fears dissolved once they actually entered the waiting rooms.  Separated into groups of two, the students made their way through four waiting rooms, talking to both parents and children about dental hygiene and nutrition.  Balboa Academy even had toothbrushes and toothpaste to hand out after their presentations.  For the four of us, watching the students present their health modules brought back memories of the presentations that we made on our missions.  It was definitely up there in the top moments of the U-Lead conference. Their hard work really showed us the vast potential of international students as student educators on in-country missions. These students, who had significantly less time and practice that those at Mission Training Workshop, really proved that anyone with passion and dedication can make a difference in a mission situation.  After everyone had finished presenting their health modules, we all convened to share stories.  All of the students had positive things to say, but there was one story in particular that stood out.  The two-student team had approached a crying young boy that was waiting in line with his mother waiting to see a doctor.  Once they started to present to him about dental hygiene, however, his tears turned into a smile.  This presentation in particular showed the students that what they do can really help change someone’s life, even if it is in a small way.

Following our discussion, we took the conference outside to add a little competition into the mix.  A game of Capture the Flag, with two teams on each side, was arranged in the area across the street from the hospital.  Although there was some disagreements with the rules, and a lot of name calling (mostly the world “tramposos!” which means cheater) it turned out to be a fun time.  However, because it was mid 90s outside today, we decided to call the came early and ended it in a tie (probably for the best as we are all overly competitive). Lunch today was the same delicious pizza that we had yesterday, and it was definitely needed after all of the physical exertion.  While everyone finished up eating, we started our second service project of the day—making posters and cards for the upcoming screening mission on Saturday March 19^th in Santiago, Panama.  Each group designed posters together that are going to be hung up around the hospital and each group member made good luck cards that are to be handed out to each patient that is screened.  The posters and cards were all really creative and we had a fun time making them.

Then started the crazy/fun (or crazy fun?) part of our day.  After cleaning up the service project, we were able to squeeze in just a little more tourism time, and the Panamanian students took us to Panama Viejo.   Literally translated to mean “Old Panama” this city of ruins was what used to be Panama City.  Unfortunately it was destroyed by English pirates in the 1500s.  Walking around the ruins was definitely a cultural experience that we couldn’t have ever had back in the United States.

After Panama Viejo, we drove to meet the students of the conference for our final party.  The party was a cultural experience in itself; it was held in a chiva (basically a school bus with no windows decked out with lights and unique decorations).  From when we got on the bus at 7:00 until we got off at 10:00, music was playing.  Dancing is a big part of the Panamanian culture and we definitely were able to experience that tonight.  We were also able to view the city from the bay area; the skyline was certainly a sight to be seen.

All in all, this conference has been an amazing experience for all four of us.  We are so proud of the work that the participants have done over these three days, and are so grateful for everything that Operation Smile Panama has done for us to help plan the conference and while we were here.  WE LOVE PANAMA!  Stay tuned for individual reflections on our trip!