VALDOSTA, GA. (WTXL) — Valdosta State University is turning creativity into care — one brushstroke at a time.
- The sensory room, located inside VSU’s Speech-Language and Hearing Clinic, features calming décor, a swing, trampoline, and crash pad to help children regulate their senses.
- Graduate student clinicians and local children benefit from the space, which was designed through a collaboration between VSU’s Communication Sciences Department and the College of the Arts.
- Watch the video to see how this will benefit neurodivergent clients.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Inside VSU’s Speech-Language and Hearing Clinic, a new sensory room is helping children with sensory needs find calm and confidence.
The space — filled with a swing, crash pad, trampoline, and a serene forest mural — combines science, art, and compassion to create a safe place for learning and healing.
It’s the result of a partnership between VSU’s Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders and the College of the Arts, designed to help both children and the graduate students training to serve them.
Clinical Supervisor Katie Reagan says this sensory room connects education with empathy in a powerful way.
“We as faculty always have to think about two groups — the people we’re serving in the community, and the students we’re preparing to serve others," said Reagan. "This project perfectly aligns both.”
The forest mural came to life thanks to Lexi Bennett, a recent VSU graduate who chose to stay in Valdosta to give back through her art.
“They wanted something calming — lots of greens, blues, a peaceful outdoor feel. I wanted kids to walk in and feel safe and happy, like they belong here.”
With over 20 appointments already booked, VSU’s sensory room is proving that art and education can change lives — right here in South Georgia.
In Valdosta, I’m Malia Thomas, reporting for ABC27.
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