Alicia White has worked at the Portage Township Schools as a behavior specialist for three years now. She grew up in Portage and went to Portage High School. White went on to attend Purdue University, majoring in health and human sciences with a minor in sociology.
“I have always loved working with kids, and I knew from a young age that I wanted to be a mom,” said White. “I just had this passion to work with kids, especially kids with special needs. I remember in elementary school I was a volunteer and a peer tutor in the special needs classroom. I always wanted to go that route. I thought about becoming a teacher for a while, but then in my coursework during my senior year of college, I had to obtain an internship.”
This internship was at an applied behavior analysis (ABA) center. She did ABA therapy which is a clinic that supports kids with autism. The clinic helped White figure out how she could do what she loved to do.
“I fell in love with ABA and loved working with kids with special needs,” said White. “I found my passion there, and that was where I opened the door for it randomly. I knew I always wanted to work with kids with special needs. I just didn't quite know how or what I wanted to exactly do.”
White went on to get her master’s in ABA at Ball State University. She has now become a board-certified behavior analyst (BCBA), but she still uses a lot of the same ABA principles.
White primarily works in the elementary schools, spending most of her time in the behavior support classroom at Myers Elementary School.
“I help the head teacher facilitate different techniques or strategies, and I consult if there is a kiddo who has significant problem behavior they're having trouble decreasing,” said White. “Whatever the case may be, I go in to do observations that help model and teach the parents, the staff, principal, and anyone who comes in contact with this kiddo. I help facilitate techniques and different ways to interact with the kids to better help.”
White is passionate about getting parents involved in helping the students. She wants to make sure that students have help at home no matter the circumstances.
“It takes a team because it is not just one individual that goes in and decreases the student’s problem behavior,” said White. “We always find a way to see how we can help within the home by giving them skills and techniques. I wanted to give back and help; what better way to do that than in the town that I grew up in? I can give these parents resources and help that they may not have otherwise. It's been nice just being a part of that conversation.”
Now working in the school district, White gets to see all of the effort and work that goes on to make the schools run.
“It's opened up a whole new world of seeing how hard educators work day in and day out for these students in the districts,” said White. “It's not just one person. Seeing the passion and drive these teachers, educators, and people who worked in the school district have for the students is inspiring in itself. It makes me want to work harder for the students as well.”
White is also now a mother of two toddler boys. When she is not busy with school or her kids, White is trying to help out by donating her time.