Kate Carey loves what she does at J. Taylor Finley Middle School, where she works as a speech and language pathologist. The longtime educator recently worked with a group of students to bring some needed cheer to residents at the nearby Maryville Enhanced Assisted Living Facility on Greenlawn Road.
Mrs. Carey and student teacher Jamie Epstein took care in planning the activity over the course of several weeks. “We coordinated the initiative with Maryville’s recreation director and asked her for a list of residents who may need some items or gifts for the holidays,” Mrs. Carey said. “We asked parents of students to send in any donation that they could up to $5 to cover the cost of these gifts. Parents generously sent the money and the class took the bus into Huntington village to Rite Aid to shop for suggested gifts.”
The Finley students reviewed a Rite Aid circular and chose gifts they thought Maryville’s resident would like within the established $5 budget. “After shopping, the students helped wrap the gifts and filled out a personalized card and each gift was adorned with a picture of the student who purchased it,” Mrs. Carey said.
The veteran educator and Ms. Epstein took the wrapped gifts and dropped them off after school earlier this week and the Maryville staff was more than appreciative. “We were able to leave the gifts under the tree and wish the residents a Merry Christmas,” Mrs. Carey said. “These students and families are amazing and generous and provided a community service to these residents.”
Mrs. Carey obtained an undergraduate degree at SUNY New Paltz along with state certification as a teacher of speech and hearing handicapped and a master’s degree at Adelphi University in communication disorders. She has worked as a speech and language pathologist working in Huntington UFSD for 25 years. She has worked with students from K-12.
“I love, love, love what I do,” said Mrs. Carey, who lives in Smithtown and is married and the mother of three children. “I feel blessed to work with the most amazing children every day and build their speech, language and communication skills to succeed in life and in the classroom.” She is also the co-faculty advisor for Finley’s Friendship Club.
