RU=A0Hosts Scottish Rite Luncheon to Celebrate = Successful Clinic

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RU=20 = Entire=20 Web

RU Hosts Scottish Rite = Luncheon
to=20 Celebrate Successful Summer Language Clinic

RADFORD -- Radford University recently hosted a luncheon to = thank the=20 Scottish Rite Freemasonry and the Scottish Rite Foundation for = their=20 generous support of the annual RU RiteCare Summer Language = Clinic=20 and student scholarships.

The 2008 RU RiteCare Summer Language Clinic, held at the = Waldron=20 College of Health and Human Services, was devoted to children two = to eight=20 years of age diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders. The clinic = provided=20 family-centered intervention as a means of enhancing the = children=92s=20 language and literacy skills. The Scottish Rite scholarships = allowed=20 graduate students in the RU speech-language pathology program to = work=20 one-on-one with clinic participants.

3D"" Several parents and graduate = students spoke=20 of their experiences during the luncheon. For Amy Reilly, a parent = who=20 watched her son, William, flourish under the direction of the RU = clinic=20 counselors, the program was a wonderful stepping stone in her = child=92s=20 development. =93He has worked so hard, and it has been amazing = watching the=20 children interact with each other,=94 she said.

(IN THE PHOTO: Claire Waldron, chair of the RU=20 Communication Sciences and Disorders Department, receives a check = from Jim=20 Cole of the Scottish Rite Foundation.)

Heather Edwards expressed her excitement watching the progress = made by=20 her son, Sean. =93He began to make more eye contact and waved to a = friend,=20 which is a really big accomplishment for him,=94 she explained. = =93I am ready=20 to get out there and find out what else I can do for my = child.=94

Ashley Jones, a second year graduate student at RU, noted the=20 significance of each achievement made with a child. =93The small, = simple=20 steps we make are the ones worth mentioning,=94 she said.

The 2008 clinic theme was =93Communicating in Tents,=94 which = highlighted=20 the goal of facilitating a child=92s intent, or desire, to = communicate.=20 Children engaged in such activities as setting up a camp and = sleeping=20 under a starry night sky replicated indoors using a laser star = light show.=20 Each week, participants read a book, which they kept at the = conclusion of=20 the camp. They also explored new concepts and words as they = assumed=20 various roles, such as a child chasing a frog or a frog being = chased.

3D"" Diane Millar, an associate = professor and=20 director of the RU Autism Center, designed and conducted research = during=20 the clinic while Pat Rossi, clinic director, implemented necessary = treatment. They collaborated to educate students and families = about=20 evidence-based intervention practices for autistic children.

The RU RiteCare Language and Research Clinic was a = partnership=20 among the RU Communication Sciences and Disorders Department, = psychology=20 and music therapy faculty members and students. Peer models, = undergraduate=20 volunteers and one adult client from the RU Speech and Hearing = Clinic also=20 participated in the event.

To learn more about assistance available to children with = speech and=20 language disorders, please contact Patricia Rossi at (540)=20 831-7734.

July 2, 2008
Contact: Mindy = Buchanan-King (mlbuchana@radford.edu;=20 540-831-7764)

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