Smiling for a Cause at Sylvan Avenue Elementary

In honor of Better Speech and Hearing Month, Sylvan Avenue Elementary School students and staff members once again worked to raise money to support the Smile Train. 

The organization is devoted to helping the millions of children in the world who suffer from cleft lip and palate through free surgery, free training for doctors and research to find a cure.

For the schoolwide effort, students and staff participated in a Smile Train weeklong fundraiser, which included several theme days and a mile walk around the grounds. This year, the school raised $3,372.91. With a corporate match, which quadrupled the amount collected by the school, nearly $16,000 was donated to the organization in Sylvan Avenue’s name.

Since 1999, the Smile Train organization has provided free cleft palate surgery to more than 580,000 children who would have otherwise never received it.  They have helped train tens of thousands of medical professionals and have established programs in more than 75 countries.  Operations are being done on more than 300 children a day. The amount donated by Sylvan will cover approximately 65 surgeries for qualifying patients.

Photo provided by the Bayport-Blue Point School District