SLP graduate students give back to Boys & Girls Club

By Kiara Mays | Published Jan. 29, 2018

SLPB’s reading the letters. Credit: Kristyn DiCostanzo

This holiday season, graduate students of Kean University’s Speech-Language Pathology (SLP) Program are giving back to the Boys & Girls Club of Elizabeth, New Jersey.

Kristyn DiCostanzo, Austin Twine, Mia Apostle, Kimberly Bagatta-Bowles and Lawrence McDonald, current SLP graduate students, are working together along with other undergraduate students in the program in order to make a child’s holiday season unforgettable with their “SLP2B Holiday Gift Back” drive.

“Most of us love giving back,” said DiCostanzo. “[So] we decided to give back to Elizabeth, the community we go to school in.”

Sort of like “Dear Santa” letters but with a twist, deserving children at the Boys & Girls Club will write letters addressed to one of the Speech Language Pathologists to be’s, hence “SLP2B”, requesting a gift they want for Christmas. The addressed

SLP graduate students (from left to right) Kimberly Bagatta-Bowles, Kristyn DiCostanzo, Mia Apostle, and Austin Twine. Not pictured: Lawrence McDonald. Credit: Kristyn DiCostanzo

“SLP2B” will then write a letter back to the child and send it, along with the desired gift.

“It doesn’t matter how old the child is, whether they’re five or six years old, they will receive a letter back,” said DiCostanzo.

Although she came up with the overall idea for the “SLP2B Holiday Gift Back” drive, DiCostanzo would not have been able to make it happen without the help and time from her fellow colleagues and friends.

“The people on my team are so generous, so kind, [and] so generous with their time,” she said.

So far, children of the Elizabeth Boys & Girls Club have requested a variety of things, according to DiCostanzo, ranging from pajamas to headphones to games and new clothes. Christmas will be coming a little earlier for them this year as well as they are expected to receive their letters and gifts by Dec. 12. What better way to spread holiday cheer this season?