2024 Autism Awareness Scholarship Winner!

Congratulations to our 2024 Autism Awareness Scholarship Recipient

In 2020, Lighthouse Autism Center established the Lighthouse Autism Center Autism Awareness scholarship. This scholarship is intended to provide financial assistance to an individual enrolled at a college or university as an undergraduate student in their junior or senior year, preferably in an area that we currently serve. While we had many impressive applications, Nicole Peixoto was selected as the awardee for this scholarship. Nicole is majoring in Psychology and working towards obtaining a Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst (BCaBA) certification at the University of South Florida. Nicole then plans to pursue a master’s degree in Behavior Analysis from Florida Institute of Technology.

About Nicole Peixoto

I grew up in Brazil, and have taught myself English in my spare time, so I decided I wanted to teach English to other Brazilians willing to learn. This idea terrified me because it would require me to speak publicly, but I knew to overcome my fears, I had to challenge myself. I found a start-up online in need of English teachers to volunteer in their summer program, so I applied and successfully passed the interview. Here I was able to tutor English twice a week to teenagers from all over Brazil. This experience was life-changing for me because with the teaching and public speaking experience, I was able to land a job only four months later at a language center as an ESL (English as a Second Language) Teacher. As I gained responsibility and realized how many people I was helping, I felt more accomplished, and my confidence grew.

Overcoming these challenges has made me strive for more so I then decided to leave my country alone in search of a better academic future, where I can study what I am most fascinated about: psychology. With the money I made as an ESL teacher and later working with children in a bilingual school in my city, I was able to pay for my student visa and airplane ticket, and with the support of my parents, I embarked on my education journey in the United States.

In my community college years, I volunteered at my local elementary school, helping in first-grade classrooms where I worked as a teacher assistant helping first-graders to read and write. Moreover, followed by my love for personal development, I became the Vice President of Scholarship in the Chi Epsilon chapter of PTK (Phi Theta Kappa). In our general meetings, I would talk about the professional development courses we had for PTK members and show them scholarship opportunities they could apply for. I would also help students to succeed in their academic careers by offering to help with their resumes. In addition, I became a grief facilitator and volunteered at an organization called New Hope for Kids, helping grieving children cope with the loss of one of their loved ones.

In September of 2023, I started volunteering at OCA, where I would help children with developmental disabilities gain independence. After four months of helping in their early intervention program, I was offered a job as a direct care staff, which is my current role. My job inspired me to become a BCBA, and I am currently working toward getting an RBT certification.

Working with adults and children with Autism Spectrum Disorder evoked a passion for the field of Applied Behavior Analysis. In the Fall of 2024, I will be transferring to the University of South Florida to pursue a Bachelor in Arts in Psychology and I will work toward getting a Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst (BCaBA) certification. Following this, I plan on pursuing a master’s degree in Behavior Analysis from Florida Institute of Technology. After considerable personal growth, I have realized that my main purpose in life is to transform others’ lives.

I hope that one day in the future I will grow to become a Behavior Analyst and work directly with individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder by implementing behavioral programs that can have a positive impact in their future. I have come to realize this is the perfect career for me because it combines my love for teaching and education with my passion for human behavior, and I could not be more grateful for my current job and past experiences.