Mount Vernon's Washington Mill Focuses on Power of a Smile

This year, Washington Mill Elementary School, in Mount Vernon, is focusing on building understanding, diversity, and respect through a simple smile.

School staff members are capturing the smiles of each and every student (640 students) and displaying the photos in the halls, with a goal of completing the project by back to school night on Tuesday, Sept. 23.

The hope is that the student smiles will be passed on to everyone in the school and surrounding community in an effort to begin a chain reaction of respect, diversity, individualism, and positivity.