Peixoto Wins ‘Go Back, Give Back’ Contest
In May 2019, Summer Peixoto, lecturer and academic program associate at the Applied English Center, traveled to Brazil as a winner in the U.S. State Department English Language Program’s Go Back, Give Back contest. In celebration of the English Language Fellow Program’s 50th anniversary, the program selected 13 alumni to return to their countries-of-assignments to conduct short-term projects.
Peixoto’s project “Bridging Change: Cultivating Culture, Conversation, and Community” involved digital storytelling that highlighted Amazonian culture, as well as collected regional materials that could be incorporated into the language learning classroom. More than 140 people participated in her project, including instructors, administrators, government leaders, teachers and university students.
The project culminated with an art event in Manaus, where locally renowned artist Otoni Mesquita lectured on local art and culture while attendees explored an art exhibition by Amazonia artists. To end the evening, Peixoto shared a digital story created in collaboration with students who went on a boat tour of Rio Negro; the students discussed how being a part of the project had influenced their professional and personal lives.
Following her trip to Brazil, Peixoto traveled to Washington, D.C. in the fall for the English Language Fellow Program 50th Anniversary Celebration. Peixoto was invited to attend as a nominee for the Alumni Impact Award and a winner of the Go Back Give Back contest. The celebration included a workshop on global issues and an anniversary party at the State Department.