Operation Smile Club had its first meeting Nov. 29 in science teacher Maddie Watts’s room. The club is moderated by Watts and was founded by junior Lauren Wittek.

Operation Smile is a nonprofit organization that aims to help children with facial deformities in developing countries by sending surgeons and volunteers on medical mission trips.

The club will be focused on learning about facial deformities, conducting service projects, and fundraising for members to eventually go on a mission trip with Operation Smile. At their first meeting,  officers shared some information on facial deformities in developing countries and then brainstormed fundraising ideas with the rest of the club.

“I’ve always been interested in the medical field and I’ve been leaning towards facial plastic surgery, especially burn victims and breaking of the jaw, cleft lips, cleft palates,” Wittek said. “I feel like it’s kind of tragic that stuff like that doesn’t really affect children as much here as it affects children in developing countries. I think that they deserve as much help as they can get.”