Youth Programs
Texas Hearing Institute offers programs that provide children with hearing loss opportunities to make new friends and have fun while increasing their social, listening, and conversational skills. We can’t wait for you to become involved!
Project T.A.L.K. (Talking and Listening for Kids) is our annual summer camp for children with hearing loss between the ages of 4 and 10 years old.
Project T.A.L.K. is the only program of its kind in the region! Texas Hearing Institute created Project T.A.L.K. to help children with hearing loss make new friends while increasing social and conversational skills, interacting with kids who also have hearing loss, and sharpening their listening skills while partaking in fun, exciting activities. Project T.A.L.K. also serves as a training program for speech-language pathology graduate students who are interested in acquiring skills they will need to treat children with hearing loss.
Camp activities include:
- Relay races
- Reading
- Photography
- Obstacle courses
- Games
- Arts and crafts
- Scavenger hunts
early registration opens Feb 1st. For more information about how to register your child for Project T.A.L.K. 2026, click here.
Applications for Project T.A.L.K. volunteers will are CLOSED until April 2026. For any questions, please contact Marketing Manager, Tim Kelly, at tkelly@texashearing.org.
For Project L.E.A.D. participants interested in volunteering for camp, please contact Geeta Shandilya at gshandilya@texasharing.org.
Our teen leadership program, known as Project L.E.A.D., is an exciting opportunity available to youth between the ages of 11 and 17 years old. Our teen leaders learn to advocate for themselves, communicate professionally, collaborate with peers and mentors, complete self-directed tasks, and act as role models for our younger Texas Hearing Institute children.
Project L.E.A.D participants complete four training modules and 15 hours of volunteer service. Upon graduation, Project L.E.A.D participants have an opportunity to volunteer as Project T.A.L.K. camp counselors.
For details on how to attend from Project L.E.A.D. and be eligible to volunteer at Project T.A.L.K., click here.
Applications for Project L.E.A.D. open Monday, January 5th, 2026
Please submit applications to Geeta Shandilya at gshandilya@texasharing.org by Friday, February 6th, 2025.
Buddies at Texas Hearing is a group for kids with hearing loss who are 11-16 years old. Buddies events occur every other month throughout the school year to facilitate friendships, build self-advocacy skills, and create a feeling of community for kids in the Houston area who are deaf or hard of hearing. Past Buddies events have included bowling, escape room challenges, and a gingerbread house building contest. Kids who utilize any communication modality are welcome to attend all Buddies events.
For more information and to register for fall 2024 Buddies events, click here.
For questions about Buddies, please contact Geeta Shandilya at gshandilya@texasharing.org.
Junior Buddies at Texas Hearing is a brand new group for children with hearing loss who are 6-10 years old. The group hosts events during the school year to promote the growth of social skills and inclusion. Junior Buddies at Texas Hearing was created to give deaf or hard of hearing children in the Houston area a chance to spend time with peers who also have hearing loss. Children who utilize any communication modality can attend Junior Buddies.
For more information and to register for Junior Buddies events, click here.
For questions about Junior Buddies, please contact Geeta Shandilya at gshandilya@texasharing.org.
