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An organization primarily composed of area high schoolers has assembled the ultimate service project and partnered with businesses and officials to make their dream a reality.

Mission Smiles and Richard Williams Jr. Leadership Development Academy have partnered together on a program called Santa in Appalachia that will benefit young people in Campbell County's Clear Fork Valley. The organizations will gather school supplies and presents to deliver to Wynn Habersham School, a K-8 school serving about 170 students.

Mission Smiles members have visited the school on three separate occasions.

"They're in desperate need of everything," said board Chairman Cody Sokoll.

During one of the visits, board secretary Nell Koneczny talked with a staff member who's in charge of school office supplies. The woman told Koneczny that the school has many needs and stressed items such as paper clips.

Student also took a tour of Wynn Habersham School.

"They recently spent money on technology. However, there's only enough books in their library to fill half their shelves," Koneczny said.

Private individuals, churches and organizations are invited to help in any way they're able. Mission Smiles has also implemented an adopt-a-classroom program. The Blount Memorial Joan M. Jackson Health Career Center has adopted the school's third- and fourth-grade classes, said George Williams, the Richard Williams Jr. Leadership Development Academy's executive director and founder.

Mission Smiles has set up angel trees at:

Starbucks Coffee, 1011 W. Lamar Alexander Parkway, Maryville;

The Rush Fitness Complex, 157 N. Calderwood Street, Alcoa;

Alcoa City Center, 229 E. Watt Street, Alcoa.

Drop-off locations are at the Alcoa City Center and Maryville Starbucks.

Mission Smiles members require wrapping supplies for the Santa in Appalachia project, Sokoll said. They are also in need of capital to run their organization, he said.

Mission Smiles volunteers will process presents on Dec. 3 and Dec. 5-7, Koneczny said. They will later take inventory of the items and make sure no students get left out. Volunteers will wrap the presents from Dec. 9-12 at the Alcoa City Center. They will pack presents on Dec. 13 and deliver them on Dec. 14.

"Our Wynn Habersham plans don't stop with this program. We're working on ways to sustain our commitment," Sokoll said.

School officials are receptive to the organization's ideas; and Mission Smiles members have discussed purchasing library books for the school in the near future, according to Koneczny.

Fred Forster, the Blount County Chamber Partnership's president and CEO, is currently acting as the project's advisor.