We launched our internship program in 2022 consisting of two interns from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Today, we’ve had ten interns work with us to better research and development and marketing efforts. Not only is our passion to help build Sing and Speak 4 Kids, but to also build up future leaders of our industry. Our hopes are to help our interns grow in their field of study from UNC but also, attract more university students from various universities to be part of our team.
If you are interested in being part of our intern team, please fill out our internship interest form.
March 2022. In our first focus group, we investigated the current and optimal use of our online music-based program, Sing and Speak 4 Kids (SS4Kids). Parents and caregivers had the opportunity to use SS4Kids with their child, and provide feedback and suggestions on the parent training materials, program operation, parent-child interaction, support system provided by SS4Kids, and other relevant commentary. Professionals provided feedback on helping both the children and their parents, using SS4Kids as a supplemental training program. View Report
In our second focus group, February 2023, we held a paraprofessional focus group. The paraprofessional focus group was designed to investigate current and optimal customer journey (engagement, implementation and maintenance) of the online music-based program Sing and Speak 4 Kids from a paraprofessional perspective. We outlined what they enjoyed about the program in an online format, as well as express any challenges or barriers with utilizing the game in different settings and scenarios. View Report
Our 2024 focus group targets professionals that are using SS4Kids in a group setting. In these focus groups, professionals will have the opportunity to provide feedback on their overall experience with SS4Kids, as well as provide suggestions on the support systems and program operations provided here at SS4Kids. Professionals will provide feedback on helping both children and their parents using the SS4Kids as a supplemental training program.
Esil just graduated UNC Chapel Hill with a double major in Music and Linguistics with a speech and hearing sciences minor. She will attend Northwestern’s Speech, Language, and Learning Master’s program in the fall. Esil loves working with children and hopes her passion for music and language will help her as an Intern for Sing and Speak 4 Kids. Esil has been with Sing and Speak 4 Kids since 2022 and has learned so much in leading professional and paraprofessional focus groups, research, and connecting with other professionals in the field of music and speech.
Olivia is a senior at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill pursuing a major in Linguistics, with minors in Speech and Hearing Sciences and Spanish Language. She is also a volunteer at UNC’s Center for Aphasia and Related Disorders, where she assists individuals with speaking impairments. Olivia is passionate about helping children develop and improve their language capabilities through innovative programs, and increasing access to speech tools and therapies for underserved communities.
Katherine is a sophomore at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, majoring in Psychology with a minor in Music. She plays several instruments, including violin in the UNCSO, and is a piano teacher for Musical Empowerment, a nonprofit organization that provides free music lessons to children from underprivileged backgrounds. Katherine is passionate about people and communication, particularly the intersection of psychology and technology in healthcare and cognitive development. She is excited about SS4Kids and believes in the power of music as a tool to support language development in children with speech delays and disorders.
Linda is a Communication Science and Disorders major at the University of Pittsburgh on the Speech-Language Pathology track. She is currently a research assistant at the Language and Brain (LAB) Lab and Dr. Sayce’s lab, where she helps research on voice and aphasia. Linda is passionate about bridging research and practice to support children’s communication development. As an intern at Sing and Speak 4 Kids, she is excited to be part of a team that combines music, technology, and therapy to empower children and their families.
Kate is a senior at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill majoring in Psychology with a minor in Music. She is passionate about music and has been in the UNC percussion ensemble and the University Band. She is also a piano teacher for Musical Empowerment, a non-profit organization that offers free music lessons to underprivileged kids in the community. Kate wants to be a music therapist, and SS4Kids perfectly aligns with her desire to use music to help children with developmental disabilities connect and communicate!
Caleb is a Public Health and Entrepreneurship major at Brown University. He is passionate about researching health disparities, specifically in combining his music and art school background with healthcare. Although his overarching goal is to become a physician, he also enjoys playing basketball, trying new food, and reading non-fiction.
