Bluebee Pals were donated to The Sweetwater County Child Developmental Center in Wyoming as an assistive technology tool for speech therapists to engage pre-schoolers. Lu Kasper is the director of the preschool and dedicated to providing his speech therapists with advanced technology that engage children at an early age. He contacted the CEO of Bluebee Pals last year and requested the center become an Ambassador for Bluebee Pals. As a Bluebee Ambassador, the center provides compelling testimonials that highlight various applications of Bluebee incorporated into therapies.
The Sweetwater County Child Developmental Center (SCCDC) is a non-profit organization that has served the children and families in Sweetwater County since 1979. The center is mandated by the state of Wyoming to provide early intervention services to children birth through age five with a variety of delays and disabilities. The SCCDC is the only organization in Sweetwater County to serve the children birth through age three.There are 14 Developmental Preschool Regions in Wyoming. The SCCDC is Region 7.The SCCDC is governed by a nine-member, volunteer board which consists of parents, school district representatives, and members of the general community.
Lu Kasper Ambassador to Bluebee Pals and the Director of a Sweetwater County Child Developmental Center-Preschool
I’ve had a chance to review the classes that are utilizing the Bluebee Pals and was totally impressed! I first observed the Leo the Lion being used in a classroom by our speech therapist. The kids were enthralled, and even our really apprehensive talker in the group wanted to talk to the Bluebee Pal Lion.
My SLP shared that this is the same positive reaction in every class!
My classroom teacher also shared that the kids have been really engaged while using the Bluebee Pal. She is currently using it with one of our autistic children to see if she can help him make eye contact (he is nonverbal and it’s difficult to know what he hears/understands). While he is more interested in watching what is going on with the iPad, he is making occasional eye contact.
The Bluebee interactive pal has been able to open up a new way to communicate with children with developmental disabilities. As an SLP in the field of preschool for 10 years, I am able to engage and entice many children that were not motivated without this visual talking friend. Many children will come greet and imitate Bluebee the lion that would not do so for the slp alone or with an iPad. They are able to recall his name from time to time he visits their class and is able to sit and attend for longer periods of time due to being engaged.
The children are able to learn academic language and new communication words or routines such as repetitive songs such as head, shoulders knees, and toes while moving and imitating peers and this friendly lion. Many students are able to make requests for what to do next with bluebee, label items and ask him questions that they would not do with an adult teacher. He is a great addition to my therapy materials repertoire and one the kids look forward to and ask for…..https://www.bluebeepals.com/store/
Janelle Smith M.S. CCC-SLP–Speech Language Pathologist–Sweetwater County Child Developmental Center