This guest post is Olivia Thompson, a young woman on the autism spectrum who was accepted and into Fairmont State University, Allegany College of Maryland, and Lancaster Bible College. Olivia is applying for the Spring 2025 Making a Difference Autism Scholarship via the nonprofit KFM Making a Difference started by me, Kerry Magro. I was nonverbal till 2.5 and diagnosed with autism at 4 and you can read more about my organization here.
Autistics on Autism the Next Chapter: Stories You Need to Hear About What Helped Them While Growing Up and Pursuing Their Dreams will be released on Amazon on 3/25/25 and looks at the lives over 75 Autistic adults. 100% of the proceeds from this book will go back to supporting our nonprofits many initiatives, like this scholarship program. Check out the book here.
Dancing is one of my favorite things to do. As a student with a Neurodivergent (Autism and ADHD) diagnosis, I have always had challenges in life, school, and even a fun activity like dancing.
My mother first enrolled me in my first dance class when I was in Kindergarten. My twin sister, and my older sisters, also twins who were in first grade at the time, took a Parks and Recreation Ballet class. I am sure I did a lot of walking in circles and looking at my sisters for guidance. As an autistic dancer, there are many things such as sensory sensitivities, social difficulties, and communication challenges that can occur in a dance class. But I have succeeded to the level that I am comfortable and enjoy all types of dancing. Am I the best dancer in the class? Absolutely not. But that is okay. It makes me happy and keeps me engaged in an activity that I love.
Currently, I am taking Advanced 1-2 Ballet Exam Prep Class, and Advanced Lyrical. I have performed numerous roles every year in our dance schools performance of The Nutcracker and each spring at Recital.
In addition, I am involved in theatre at my high school and my dance school. I have performed various roles in Legally Blond, Shrek, Christmas Carol, Two – One Act Plays, and currently in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. Often in these performances, I have one or two of my sisters also performing. I think they feel very annoyed when I memorize my lines of the play and theirs too. Especially when I remind them of the lines they have forgotten. I find it quite amusing!
Regardless of ability, dance and theatre can be very inspiring. It gives me the ability to build my confidence. I enjoy the costumes and being on stage. Being a part of a typical college school while exploring theatre or dance would give me the opportunity to learn and be beneficial to my community. As I would no longer be in high school but moving into adulthood these activities give me great pleasure and confidence. I also would love to help other Neurodivergent students or others with disabilities become a part of a community as they learn and grow. I would like to team up with others and grow our own support group to lead and have activities and to be “that person” that others can come to when they need help or need a partner. I hope whether it is a full-time career or a part-time passion, that with Autism and ADHD, I can still enjoy creative expression and share the value of diversity in the arts.
As a student with a Neurodivergent (Autism and ADHD) diagnosis, I have always had challenges in life, school, and including starting my first job. Finding a job can be challenging, but for me, navigating the process without disclosing my Autism and ADHD added another layer of complexity. I wanted to focus on demonstrating my skills and strengths rather than my disabilities. My journey included incorporating skills learned in my 11th-grade Career Exploration class which taught me valuable lessons about how to present my talents and skills in the business world. The first step was creating my resume and cover letter. I emphasized my attention to detail, creativity, and problem-solving skills. However, I chose not to disclose my neurodiversity in these documents, focusing instead on how my experiences made me a strong candidate. I highlighted my ability to manage tasks efficiently, adapt to new situations, and work both independently and in teams.
The interview process was where I felt the most pressure. There was a telephone interview to schedule an in-person interview. Then I had to navigate by going into Sam’s Club to interview with the Crossmark hiring team, which manages the product demonstrators. My Autism sometimes makes social situations overwhelming, and ADHD can make focusing difficult, especially in high-stress environments. To prepare, I practiced answering common interview questions, focusing on ways to present my strengths clearly. I used techniques like taking deep breaths and rehearsing potential responses to help manage the stress of the interview.
During the interview, I made a conscious effort to focus on the specific value I could bring to the job. The interview was a bit one-sided where they explained the role and hired me on the spot. At that point came the task of completing employment paperwork which consisted of tax forms, direct deposit forms, setting up an internal employee account, and setting up my first 401K account.
Adulting is still very difficult for me as a seventeen-year-old high school student. With a few, or if I am honest, there are many bumps on the road for my goal to employment. I still work at this job on a part-time basis.
As an additional hardship in my growing my next level of education, is the funding for that goal. Another significant challenge in pursuing my college education is choosing the right college. One that is close to my family and can provide a selection of courses to help me find future jobs to support my independence. Finding a college where the courses and rooming are within a cost that is affordable and where there is a possibility of funding is a huge consideration.
The fun part of my family is that I have a twin. Even more fun is that I have two older sisters who are freshmen in college who are twins.
Kerry Magro, a professional speaker and best-selling author who is also on the autism spectrum started the nonprofit KFM Making a Difference in 2011 to help students with autism receive scholarship aid to pursue a post-secondary education. Help us continue to help students with autism go to college by making a tax-deductible donation to our nonprofit here.
Also, consider having Kerry, one of the only professionally accredited speakers on the spectrum in the country, speak at your next event by sending him an inquiry here. If you have a referral for someone who many want him to speak please reach out as well! Kerry speaks with schools, businesses, government agencies, colleges, nonprofit organizations, parent groups and other special events on topics ranging from employment, how to succeed in college with a learning disability, internal communication, living with autism, bullying prevention, social media best practices, innovation, presentation best practices and much more!
