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.