Michelle Martin found her calling as a speech pathologist in college while taking an elective course for her communications degree at The University of Texas. After earning a degree in speech pathology, Martin began practicing in 2007 and opened her own practice, Launch Pediatric Therapy, in Jersey Village in October 2023.

Quote of note: “I entered this profession to make an impact, to make big changes, and not just for the child, but the whole family unit,” Martin said.

What they offer: Launch Pediatric Therapy is operated alongside a team of 12 speech, feeding, occupational, and physical therapists. The therapy center offers therapy for children of all ages. With a focus on speech and feeding therapy, Martin said she spends most of her time with children on the floor.

Utilizing creative methods associated with positive reinforcement and experiences, children with cognitive differences and developmental delays are gradually introduced to foods they typically reject, walked through communication development and taught how to regulate their emotions.  

Advanced Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine has expanded its services in Cypress with a new Bridgeland clinic, according to a Jan. 6 news release.

The details: The clinic offers a full-range of orthopedic care including injury prevention, diagnostic imaging and rehabilitation, per the release from the Cy-Fair Houston Chamber of Commerce.

The latest AOSM clinic is based in Bridgeland's new office building One Bridgeland Green, which opened at 20203 Bridgeland Creek Parkway, Cypress in November, according to Community Impact.

Zooming out: Serving patients since 1983, AOSM is an independent, physician-led practice with four locations across Cypress, Tomball and Kingwood, according to its website. AOSM is also a division of OrthoLoneStar, the largest independent orthopedic group in Texas, per the release.   

• 14532 Memorial Drive, Houston

Houston-area hospitality businesses can now earn points for their sustainability practices as part of a new program that aims to limit environmental harm ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

In a nutshell: The FIFA World Cup 2026 Houston Host Committee launched the “New Year, New Hou” initiative Jan. 12 to mitigate the environmental impact of tourism during the tournament, which will run from June 11 to July 19, per a news release. Roughly 500,000 people are expected to visit Houston to watch the games, Community Impact previously reported.

About the program: Hotels, motels and restaurants—including cafés and bars—based within the Houston-Galveston Area Council's boundaries can participate in the program through Feb. 28, according to the release.

Qualifying businesses can earn badges by implementing environmentally friendly practices pertaining to waste management, energy efficiency and natural resources, according to the committee’s Hospitality Sustainability Toolkit. 

What to expect: Verified businesses will be added to a “sustainable tourism guide” for World Cup visitors, per the release. 

Hundreds of Texas private schools have been approved to participate in the state’s new education savings account program, per a map released by the state comptroller in early January.

The overview: As of press time, 775 private schools and prekindergarten providers had been approved to accept education savings accounts, or ESAs. There are over 1,300 accredited private schools in the state, according to the Texas Private School Accreditation Commission. 

Of the approved schools, there are:

• 233 schools in the Houston area
• 195 schools in the Dallas-Fort Worth area
• 94 schools in the San Antonio area
• 70 schools in the Austin area