Valparaiso University, in partnership with Jacobs Ladder Pediatric Rehabilitation and Kidworks Pediatric Therapy Center in Chesterton, has been awarded a $20,000 Collaboration Challenge Grant by First Things First Porter County, an initiative of the Porter County Community Foundation. This funding is dedicated to enhancing the GoBabyGo program, improving the functionality of toys for children with developmental challenges, and expanding collaboration with local therapists to improve outcomes for children in the area.
The GoBabyGo program at Valparaiso University, launched in 2024, aims to help children with disabilities achieve greater independence in navigating their surroundings and exploring their world. This initiative brings together students from the university’s engineering and occupational therapy programs. They combine their knowledge to modify commercially available ride-on vehicles, making them operable by children with various disabilities. The program emphasizes a family-centered approach, involving families as partners in the design process to ensure the modifications genuinely meet their children's needs. Theresa Carroll, OTD, OTR/L, stated that families are more likely to use a car "if it’s something that really meets their needs."
The toy modification portion of the initiative began in the spring of 2026. Recognizing the significant impact simple electronic toys can have on a child’s developing sense of cause and effect, students work to overcome common challenges posed by small buttons and switches for children with developmental disabilities. Collaborating with families, students redesign these interactive elements to make them accessible to a broader audience, ensuring more children can fully benefit from playtime.
The Collaboration Challenge Grant will enable both the GoBabyGo and toy modification projects to pursue more ambitious vehicle and toy designs. This additional funding is expected to improve the lives of more children in the local area. A portion of the grant will also help compensate therapists from Jacob’s Ladder and Kidworks for their time in supporting children as they test and receive their modified vehicles and toys.
Both projects are cooperative efforts involving the Occupational Therapy program within the College of Nursing and Health Professions, and the bioengineering and mechanical engineering programs from the College of Engineering. This interdisciplinary teamwork allows students to deepen their technical understanding of their fields while also developing crucial soft skills necessary for professional careers. Occupational therapy student Brianna Wilson ’28 noted the vital importance of interdisciplinary teamwork. Carter Mullens ’26, a bioengineering major, also highlighted the different perspectives brought by each field, with occupational therapy students providing instructions and engineers figuring out how to create the best product.
These initiatives are currently open to children who are receiving therapy services through any organization participating in the Indiana First Steps program. Interested families are encouraged to speak with their current service provider or contact the university for more information.
First Things First Porter County, established in 2021 by the Porter County Community Foundation, works to strengthen and nurture partnerships that promote healthy beginnings, family support, and early relational health. Its mission is to catalyze community partners in creating an ecosystem of care and support to ensure every baby born in Porter County has a strong start to life. The organization brings together various groups, providers, and individuals across the county to address challenges faced by families welcoming a new baby.
