Building Confidence and a Sense of Community
By Camille Mihalik, Director of CHC's Shelley and Steven Einhorn Communication Center, and Dana Selznick, Director of Education and Family Programming
In the busy halls of the Center for Hearing and Communication (CHC), something truly special just wrapped up. For the month of January, children who come to CHC for speech and language therapy or educational support sessions enjoyed theme weeks. While all four theme weeks were equally as fun, our final week was the most special of all, as it was our Special Friends Week! During this week, children brought along a special friend, including relatives, friends, or neighbors, to be a part of their therapy sessions.
Throughout the week, children proudly showcased their progress to their special friends. From mastering a new speech goal to reading a new book, every achievement was met with cheers and applause. While therapy sessions at CHC are focused on achieving specific goals, Special Friends Week added an extra layer of fun and excitement to the learning process. Through interactive games, creative activities, and engaging exercises, children and their special friends had a blast!
As Special Friends Week came to a close, the spirit of friendship and support continued to resonate within the CHC community. Children were left with a renewed sense of confidence and self-assurance, knowing that they have a strong support system cheering them on every step of the way. The special friends departed with hearts full of pride and gratitude, honored to have been a part of their loved one's journey towards success.
At CHC, every child is surrounded by a network of love, encouragement, and understanding, ensuring that they can reach their fullest potential, one step at a time.
About the Authors
Dana Selznick, a Teacher of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, is the
Director of CHC's Education and Family Programming Center. She is dedicated to helping your child with hearing loss or auditory challenges get the support and accommodations they need to thrive academically and reach their true potential. Read full bio or contact Dana at dselznick@chchearing.org.
Camille Mihalik, Director of CHC's Shelley and Steven Einhorn Communication Center, is a speech-language pathologist with extensive experience working individually and in groups with children who are deaf and hard of hearing. Read full bio or contact Camille at cmihalik@chchearing.org.