Participant Best of All: Josh

At GiGi’s Playhouse Tampa, Best of All means striving to be better than you were yesterday. This month, we are proud to celebrate Josh for the incredible growth he has been showing in both our one-on-one speech therapy sessions and adult group programs.

Working with graduate Speech Language Pathology students from University of South Florida, Josh has been building confidence in his communication by practicing techniques from the LSVT program to “Speak BIG”. Over time, Josh has been expanding his vocabulary and learning to build fuller thoughts in conversation. Instead of short responses, he now adds detail and asks follow-up questions like “How about you?” or asks others about their interests, helping conversations grow and feel more natural.

Josh’s increased vocal clarity has allowed him to connect more easily with program leaders, staff, and peers. Whether he is talking about his love of music or sharing his enthusiasm for sports, Josh’s personality shines through in every interaction.

Another area where Josh has been thriving is creativity. Through Art Explosion and other activities at the Playhouse, you will see Josh writing lyrics/poems and coming up with playful, larger-than-life nicknames for himself & others to write on program name tags, often inspired by the personalities of his favorite athletes and entertainers.

Josh has also shown tremendous patience and self-awareness. When asked to repeat or clarify something, he stays calm and works through it, advocating for himself while continuing to build confidence. His friendly greetings – whether it’s a handshake, a cheerful hello, or a casual “what’s up?” – all help create a welcoming environment that encourages other participants to engage as well.

Those who know Josh weren’t surprised when he proudly labeled himself the “G.O.A.T.” (Greatest of All Time) on a recent name tag. At GiGi’s Playhouse, we believe Best of All is about becoming the best version of yourself—and Josh continues to show us what that looks like every day. We are so proud of his growth and can’t wait to see what he accomplishes next!

If you would like to learn more about the FREE programs that we offer, reach out via email to [email protected].