From Little Lukes Preschool to Nazareth College: Nick’s Journey

From Little Lukes Preschool to Nazareth College: Nick’s Journey


Professional Baseball Player to Movie Director to Professional Speech Therapist

 

 

 

It's 2002, a determined 3-year-old begins preschool classes in the Orange Octopus room at Oswego Little Lukes. “When I was in preschool, I wanted to be a baseball player or a movie director when I grew up. I was a very ambitious 3-year-old!”

 

Nick is now in his early 20’s, on track to graduate from Nazareth College of Rochester in May of 2021. “Nick was definitely a memorable child! He was very friendly and had a big imagination,” reflects Darci Powers, then Little Lukes Oswego Center Director, “he was always very school ready!”

 

Although Nick has no longer decided to pursue a career as a baseball player or a movie director, his goals and aspirations are just as ambitious; a career in Speech Language Pathology. “I will be graduating Nazareth in May 2021 with my undergraduate degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders and I will begin my graduate work in the Fall 2021; hopefully at Nazareth as well.”

 

A Career in Helping

 

“I always wanted a career in helping people and as an SLP I believe that’s the best way I can do just that.”

 

The once rambunctious 3-year-old reflects over life experiences that led him to Speech Pathology. “Attending Little Lukes was my first experience with children of varying abilities and gave me a foundation of wanting to help others.” Little Lukes is an inclusion preschool, giving all children of varying learning abilities, an equal opportunity of being educated together in the same classrooms.

 

“Little Lukes inspired me,” says Nick, “by introducing me to the ideals of what a helper is, and [helping] always gave me a good feeling.”

 

 


 

Goals as a Speech Language Pathology Therapist

 

“As an SLP, I hope I can help as many clients as possible…In five years after I graduate, I hope to be working as an SLP in either a clinical setting or a school setting.”

 

A Rift in Nick’s Journey

 

It may seem like Nick’s path was laid out for him, but it wasn’t without its ups and downs. “Originally, I came into Nazareth College as an Occupational Therapy major, but as the year progressed, I found myself enjoying the courses less.” Back to the drawing board it was. “I eventually changed my major to Speech Language Pathology. I always wanted a career in helping people and as an SLP I believe that’s the best way I can do just that.”

 

Lifelong Passion Meets Newfound Passion

 

Even though Nick has decided not to become a baseball player, he has still found a way to incorporate his love of sports in his college career. “For the past two years, I’ve been working for the men’s basketball team at Nazareth as a student assistant while I continue my studies and it has been a very fun and rewarding experience.” Enjoying his new lifelong passion alongside his newfound passion, Nick is confident he is headed in the right direction. “I love what I am doing at Nazareth and next semester I will be working in our on-property clinic. I will have my own client for the semester, and I am very much looking forward to that! Coming to Nazareth was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.”

 

 

 

The Right Path

 

Nick has progressed far from that 3-year-old attending inclusion preschool in the Little Lukes Orange Octopus room, but his values have not changed. “Attending Little Lukes… gave me a foundation of wanting to help others.” And helping is exactly what he’ll do.

 

 

 

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Little Lukes is a leading Syracuse and Oswego County education provider with five inclusion preschool locations. The early education program includes credentialed and caring staff that specializes in comprehensive infant, toddler and pre-kindergarten development. Additional services include pediatric speech therapy, pediatric physical therapy and pediatric occupational therapy. Preschool locations include Dewitt (East Syracuse), Baldwinsville (Radisson), Oswego, Fulton, and Pulaski.

 

For information about Little Lukes, please contact us at https://www.littlelukes.com/contact.html