At the California Scottish Rite Foundation, we take immense pride in our remarkable community. Our mission of “giving the future a voice” is supported by our various programs, including University Partnerships, RiteCare Childhood Language Centers, Private Partnerships, and Scholarships. This mission is made possible through the collective efforts of everyone involved. Our board members lead with new initiatives, donors provide funding for essential technologies to clients at our RiteCare Centers, and speech-language pathologists bring their passion to every interaction.
As a nonprofit organization, we recognize the importance of camaraderie towards a shared goal, and this spirit is reflected throughout the California Scottish Rite Foundation. Special moments within our work are often highlighted in conversations with our dedicated staff.
Leah Beekman, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, speech-language pathologist and clinical supervisor at the RiteCare Childhood Language Center of Orange County, exemplifies this dedication. We recently had the opportunity to speak with Leah to gain a deeper understanding of what it means to work at the RiteCare Childhood Language Center of Orange County. Through her success stories and messages of gratitude to our donors, Leah offers unique insights into the meaningful world of speech and language therapy and the work of the California Scottish Rite Foundation.
We encourage you to read along to learn more about Leah Beekman, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, and the RiteCare Childhood Language Center of Orange County.
A Conversation with Leah Beekman, Ph.D., CCC-SLP
What do you find to be the most rewarding aspect of your work as a speech-language pathologist at the RiteCare Childhood Language Center of Orange County?
Leah Beekman: “The most rewarding thing that I get to watch is to see a child who comes in for an assessment, who is barely speaking or barely communicating. And then over time blossoms into this amazing little human who is sassy, and they are funny.
We get to watch that voice blossom and we get to help them find that voice. I think that is that's really cool from the perspective of the kiddos. From the perspective of being a supervisor, watching my students have those moments with those children is also simultaneously extremely special because I am the only supervisor here who is also a professor of the students, and so I have them in the classroom and so I get to teach them theoretically, which is really fun, and then give them tests and make sure they know it on paper.
But to watch them take the theoretical knowledge and apply it to the clinic. It is priceless. It just really is. And to watch students have those moments with kids, it is just the best part of my week.”
Could you please share a specific story or memorable experience that illustrates the positive impact your work has had on your clients and their families?
Leah Beekman: “I thought about this one a lot, trying to think of one memorable story because there are just so many. But I think the moments that are the most special to me are the interactions that I get to have with parents on the day of a child's graduation.
There was a kid in particular who I had had at the clinic for quite some time who had come a really, really long way in his communication. And the day that we graduated him from the clinic, the mom was in tears. It was complete gratitude for us helping her child find his voice and her explaining the struggle that they had day in and day out of never knowing what their kid wanted and how gut wrenching that was for her as a parent to not be able to just give her kid basic needs. With the work that was done in the clinic, her kid was now graduating from here, moving on, and was an amazingly competent, tiny human who was expressing his needs and his wants in beautiful spoken language.
Just having that moment with those parents to see how life changing that was for them. And then just trying to imagine how life changing it is for the child as well.”
What message would you convey to potential donors or community members who are considering supporting one of the RiteCare Childhood Language Centers about the organization's work and its mission?
Leah Beekman: “Nothing is wasted. We use every gift that comes through that door, and it is being put to enhance and better the lives of tiny humans. What we have the opportunity to do here is so incredibly special. And we are giving families something that they do not get somewhere else. Most have families who cannot afford to get services elsewhere or their kids do not qualify elsewhere, or for whatever reason, they are not able to get services. We are helping children find their voices and empowering the next generation of children and being able to bridge that gap between children and their parents and how they are able to communicate. We are allowing children to be an active part of their own family.
You are contributing to building families, you are contributing to helping a child find their voice, and then you're also helping young speech language pathologists get an amazing experience because what our students get to do here, they do not get this opportunity and any other clinical placement.
This is the only placement where they get to take on a full caseload. They're working with kids. They get to see kids from start to finish. They're writing the clinical report. They see all of the aspects of speech-language pathology. And so, it is quite the trifecta of donations. It's not just giving to a clinic. You're helping kids, you're building families and you're helping young clinicians become better clinicians.”
How has your experience at the RiteCare Childhood Language Center of Orange County influenced your personal and professional growth?
Leah Beekman: “I love that when people ask me what I do for a living, I get to say jokingly, I say I blow bubbles and play with babies, but that every night when I go home, it's a peace knowing that's what I get to do every day for work is help kids find their voice and help kids be competent communicators. I cannot think of a career that's even remotely better than that.”
What advice or reassurance would you offer to prospective parents who may have concerns when deciding to enroll their child in speech-language therapy?
Leah Beekman:“I would validate the parent in that, reassuring them that there's something wrong with their child as a being. Your child is perfect and lovely just as they are. We're just going to give them a little bit of support. You know, we're just going to help to make sure that their voice is being heard, that what they need is being expressed and what they want is being expressed.
I think the validation piece is the most crucial and just letting the parent know that it's okay to feel that way. And we're here to support and I'm here to answer any questions and any success stories you want.”