A group of children and teens who stutter spent a week at Stony Brook Southampton embracing their voices, building confidence, and making sure they were heard.
Camp Dream. Speak. Live. welcomed children ages 5 to 16 for a free, confidence-building experience centered on communication, connection, and self-expression. Hosted July 28 through August 1 by Stony Brook University’s Department of Speech-Language Pathology in the School of Health Professions at Stony Brook Southampton, in partnership with The Arthur M. Blank Center for Stuttering Education and Research, the camp made its New York State debut.
Each day explored new themes, from improv with actor Josh Schubart, marine science with the School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences (SoMAS), arts and crafts, a parade, and a talent show to round out the week. Campers created banners about what they wish people knew about stuttering and formed friendships that made it easier to speak up and speak out.
“Rather than focusing on fluency, we focus on communication, confidence, and connection,” said Joy Kling, clinical assistant professor and Camp Dream. Speak. Live. program coordinator. “It’s about creating a space where stuttering is understood, accepted, and even celebrated.”
The camp also served as a hands-on clinical experience for graduate students in the Speech-Language Pathology graduate program on the Southampton campus. Working one-on-one with campers, the students helped create a space where self-expression came first.
“The change I’ve seen from when they came on the first day has been amazing,” said Maya Klatsky, one of the 32 graduate students who worked with the campers. “On the first day, some kids walked in with their heads down. Now, by the end of the week, they’re excited to speak at our open mic, raising their hands and proudly using the microphone. It’s amazing to see how much their confidence and energy have grown in just a few days. They came in unsure and left knowing their voice matters.”
“Stuttering is considered a low-incidence area,” said Kling. “Our graduate students learn about it in class, but therapy in the real world can look very different.”
“I truly believe this will be a meaningful and lasting experience for each of our students. This camp will inspire them to continue to work on communication, advocacy, resiliency, and education (CARE) with children who stutter,” added Kling.
The repeated message of CARE resonated with students like Trey Hopkins, an eight-year-old from Springfield Gardens, Queens. “It’s been great making friends and learning words like advocacy and resilience and what they mean, and what they mean to me.”
Department of Speech-Language Pathology Chair Renee Fabus hopes that these friendships will continue after the program. “It’s amazing to see the campers grow more confident and comfortable as the week goes on. They’re building real friendships with other kids who understand them and maybe even friendships that will last a lifetime.”
For ten-year-old Charlie Rosso from Riverhead, a highlight of the program was being surrounded by other kids who stutter, and getting a reprieve from the bullying he endures during the school year for stuttering.”It’s kind of really new for me, because I’ve never really been around people who stutter like me. Usually, I’m around kids who just make fun of me for it. So it’s a new experience and it’s a lot of fun. I realized here that if kids make fun of me, it’s just their problem. I don’t care. It’s just how I am. We’re each our own person.”
Charlie experienced frustration in school with teachers who jumped in to complete words when he had difficulty articulating, or those who asked other students to jump in to complete the word. The camp helped him to recognize that stuttering is a part of who he is. “Don’t let it hold you back, just like I won’t let it hold me back anymore. I don’t care what the teachers say or what other kids say. I’m going to finish that word, I’m going to finish that sentence, I’m going to finish that work. I’m not going to let stuttering hold me back.”
Charlie’s mother, Jamie Rosso, is a speech-language pathologist at the Riverhead Charter School and a supervisor volunteering throughout the week-long program. “The biggest piece here is the confidence they’re promoting. What you have to say is important, and even if you struggle, say it anyway. Resiliency is a big part of the CARE acronym,” said Jaime. “We’re all trying to coach them through that, and to show that some moments might be hard, but keep going. What you have to say is important. A lot of this model is confidence-building and acceptance and feeling like it’s okay.”
Jamie’s seen a difference in Charlie as a result of the camp. “And because of the CARE acronym and it being reinforced every day that it’s okay to still speak and stutter, it allows him to naturally step up and continue to say what he wants to say,” added Jamie. “This is a week where kids don’t feel the need to hide their stuttering. You can see them start to relax, because so much energy usually goes into trying not to stutter. The pressure is not here. We’re not talking about fluency this week. We’re having fun. It’s all about acceptance.”
Support for the program was made possible thanks to the Arthur M. Blank Center for Stuttering Education and Research, School of Health Professions Dean Stacy Jaffee Gropack and staff, Vice President for Strategic Initiatives and Executive Director of Stony Brook Southampton Wendy Pearson and staff, Speech-Language Pathology Department faculty, staff, supervisors, and students, and community partners — including The Golden Pear, Limoncello Ristorante, and Southampton Publick House.
— Beth Squire
What a great camp for children who stutter. Confidence in communication leads to confidence in all you do in life. I hope Stony Brook continues to have more camps like this so both children and adults can be educated on all the ways a Speech Pathologist can empower their lives.