Smiley Face

Katja Kane-Foempe and Natalie Kimmey are walking the halls of Good Samaritan Hospital with a mission. All the tools they'll need to accomplish their task are neatly organized in an old two-level gray cart: magazines on almost every subject, paperback books and crossword puzzles, tissue and other assorted items.
As the two teenagers make their way through the hospital, a piece of paper taped to the side of the cart like a banner flaps in the light wind created by their movements. Printed on the paper is a large image of a "smiley face" and the words "Students Making Illness a Little Easier."
Their job description is straightforward: Bring a smile and a little joy into patients'lives.
Although the task isn't always easy—and patients aren't always amenable—the students find that when they enter a room most of the people welcome the interaction. And who they meet on this day varies dramatically as they go along.
They encounter a 99-year-old Holocaust survivor in the oncology unit and a 51-year-old electrical contractor in the cardiovascular wing. All of the patients bring their own unique personalities to the conversations, and each of them seems to be a little more energized after the teenagers leave the rooms.