Rheem students and Principal Elaine Frank present Ruth Kaiser with a check for $1,322.50 for Operation Smile. From left: Michael Hooper, Casey Kiriaze, Ruth Kaiser, Jessica Thomas, Nicolas Mack, Henry Sibley, Emma Sibley, Elaine Frank. Photo Cathy Kathan

Over the winter break, students from Moraga's Rheem Elementary School spent some time photographing Smiley Faces that they found in everyday objects. While the kids and their families were having lots of silly fun, they were also raising money for some very special children. Like in a Walk-a-Thon, students sought sponsors to pledge for their efforts. In a Walk-a-Thon, donors pledge by the mile; in a Smile-a-Thon, they pledge by the smile.

The Smile-a-Thon was the joint effort of The Spontaneous Smiley Project and Operation Smile. The Spontaneous Smiley Project was created by Orinda's Ruth Kaiser. It is a huge art project that lives on the Internet and involves people from dozens of countries. People all over the world upload and share their Smiley photographs at www.SpontaneousSmiley.com. Operation Smile is an organization of volunteers sending medical teams to provide free surgery for children with cleft lips, cleft palates and other facial deformities.

Through the efforts of the students at Rheem Elementary, enough money was raised to cover the cost of repairing the smiles of five children. Those children's lives will be changed forever.

Ruth Kaiser from The Spontaneous Smiley Project wants to send a special thanks to the students at Rheem Elementary and to their teachers and parents.