This week on OSCentral, we’d like to highlight the accomplishments of a stellar student club!

Hampton Roads Academy Operation Smile Club Officers, '08-'09

An active club since 2001, the Hampton Roads Academy Operation Smile Club recently received the Outstanding High School Club of the Year Award at the International Student Leadership Conference.  Through their dedicated efforts, Hampton Roads Academy has raised awareness to new levels in their community!

Each year, the club has partnered with the City of Newport News to provide crafts and entertainment during various events for children. During the city’s “Children’s Festival of Friends”, club members dress in costumes of characters from popular children’s books to provide entertainment. Anyone who has ever been a mascot can testify to the dedication necessary for wearing those big costume suits!

HRA Operation Smile Club Members at the Children's Festival of Friends

Another annual event, the Snow Ball Dance, is hugely popular with students, raising plenty of awareness for Operation Smile’s cause. The school also hosts a Talent Show, an annual showcase of the best talents in Hampton Roads!

HRA's Annual Talent Show

The club maintains an active member base, with students from all grades involved. They actively support other charities in their school, even donating 100+ frozen turkeys to HRA’s “Feeding 2000” Thanksgiving Dinner for families in need last year!

Club Members donated frozen turkeys for families in need

Five students from Hampton Roads Academy have gone on medical missions with Operation Smile, the most recent being ELC member Courtney Killough! Courtney traveled to Paraguay in the summer of 2008 with Op Smile, serving as part of the student team on the mission. But the students of Hampton Roads Academy know that going on missions isn’t the only way to make a difference in the world…

Last week, HRA presented Operation Smile with a check of $14,000, representing their fundraising efforts during the ’08-’09 school year. This check, combined with previous years of fundraising, brings the total donations of the HRA Op Smile club to $62,750! Wow! That’s over 260 smiles! We’d like to congratulate and commend HRA on their fantastic efforts in raising awareness and funds!

Hampton Roads Academy Operation Smile Club presenting a $14,000 check to Operation Smile's Brittany Williams