{"id":142463,"date":"2026-06-26T09:59:43","date_gmt":"2026-06-26T14:59:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gigisplayhouse.org\/milwaukee\/?p=142463"},"modified":"2026-07-06T10:33:28","modified_gmt":"2026-07-06T15:33:28","slug":"volunteer-spotlight-allison-muntz-occupational-therapy-capstone-intern","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gigisplayhouse.org\/milwaukee\/volunteer-spotlight-allison-muntz-occupational-therapy-capstone-intern\/","title":{"rendered":"Volunteer Spotlight: Allison Muntz, Occupational Therapy Capstone Intern"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

This summer, GiGi’s Playhouse Milwaukee is thrilled to welcome Allison Muntz as our Occupational Therapy (OT) Doctoral Capstone Intern! Allison has quickly become an invaluable member of our Playhouse team, bringing creativity, organization, and a genuine passion for helping individuals with Down syndrome reach their full potential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Throughout the summer, Allison has immersed herself in the life of the Playhouse by leading programs, supporting participants and families, and assisting wherever an extra set of hands is needed. Her positive attitude and willingness to jump in have made her an incredible asset to our team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Each Tuesday at 9am, Allison leads LMNOP, <\/strong>our signature language, music, and communication program for children ages birth to three and their caregivers. Every session is thoughtfully planned with engaging songs, stories, sensory experiences, and purposeful play that encourage early communication and developmental milestones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As part of her doctoral capstone project, Allison is taking LMNOP to the next level by developing an updated, evidence-based 12-week curriculum that places a special emphasis on fine motor skill development as a foundation for early communication and American Sign Language (ASL) acquisition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Her project addresses an important gap in current research by exploring the relationship between fine motor development and early ASL communication in young children. In addition to enhancing the weekly LMNOP lessons, Allison is creating caregiver education materials and at-home resources that empower families to continue building these important skills beyond the Playhouse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By combining evidence-based practice with family-centered education, Allison’s work will provide lasting resources that benefit future LMNOP participants and support caregivers in fostering their child’s communication and developmental success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The fun continues Tuesday afternoons as Allison leads GiGi’s Kitchen Kids at 3:30pm, where participants build confidence in the kitchen while strengthening independence, following directions, practicing kitchen safety, and developing valuable life skills. Her organized lesson plans and engaging activities create a welcoming environment where every participant has the opportunity to learn and celebrate success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of Allison’s greatest strengths is her exceptional organization and preparation. Whether she’s developing detailed lesson plans, preparing program materials, or adapting activities to meet participants’ individual needs, she consistently approaches every task with professionalism and care.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beyond the programs she leads, Allison has enthusiastically assisted with multiple summer programs throughout the Playhouse. She is always willing to lend a helping hand, collaborate with staff and volunteers, and step in wherever support is needed. Her flexibility, initiative, and positive attitude embody the collaborative spirit that makes GiGi’s Playhouse so special.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Allison’s capstone experience is helping her grow as an occupational therapy professional while also contributing to the future of the profession. Through designing, implementing, and evaluating an evidence-based LMNOP curriculum, she is strengthening her skills in pediatric program development, family-centered care, outcome assessment, and evidence-informed practice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Her work reinforces the important role occupational therapy plays in supporting early intervention, promoting communication, and empowering families with practical strategies they can use every day. The updated LMNOP curriculum and caregiver resources she is developing will continue to benefit children and families long after her internship concludes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We are incredibly grateful for everything Allison has brought to GiGi’s Playhouse Milwaukee this summer. Her compassion, thoughtful planning, dedication to evidence-based practice, and commitment to serving our families have made a meaningful impact on our Playhouse community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thank you, Allison, for sharing your talents, your knowledge, and your heart with us. We can’t wait to see all the amazing things you’ll accomplish as an occupational therapist!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Come and visit us and Allison at a summer program, sign up here: https:\/\/gigisplayhouse.org\/milwaukee\/sfcalendar\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This summer, GiGi’s Playhouse Milwaukee is thrilled to welcome Allison Muntz as our Occupational Therapy (OT) Doctoral Capstone Intern! Allison has quickly become an invaluable member of our Playhouse team, bringing creativity, organization, and a genuine passion for helping individuals with Down syndrome reach their full potential. Throughout the summer, Allison has immersed herself in…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24879,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-142463","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/gigisplayhouse.org\/milwaukee\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/142463","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/gigisplayhouse.org\/milwaukee\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/gigisplayhouse.org\/milwaukee\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gigisplayhouse.org\/milwaukee\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24879"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gigisplayhouse.org\/milwaukee\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=142463"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/gigisplayhouse.org\/milwaukee\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/142463\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/gigisplayhouse.org\/milwaukee\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=142463"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gigisplayhouse.org\/milwaukee\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=142463"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gigisplayhouse.org\/milwaukee\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=142463"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}