For the past eight years, ESSENCE has proudly partnered with Disney and Steve Harvey for the Disney Dreamers Academy. This one-of-a-kind educational mentoring program provides 100 high school students and a parent with an all-expense paid trip to Walt Disney World Resort March 3-6, 2016. High school students looking to get a jumpstart on achieving their dreams have a few days left to apply for the 2016 Disney Dreamers Academy.
Students can apply by answering a few short essay questions online at DisneyDreamersAcademy.com by Oct 30, 2015.
Throughout the program, Dreamers engage in immersive workshops for various career paths, using Walt Disney World Resort as their classroom. Students leave with real-world experience from putting on scrubs and preparing to perform surgery to learning how animations are created for Disney. Journalism students prepare the official newsletter for the weekend with help from our editors. Click here for a quick video overview of what it is like to Dream Bigger!
Dreamers connect with noted speakers, entrepreneurs, executives and celebrities about how to stay motivated to achieve their goals and dream big. Speakers include Steve Harvey and our very own, ESSENCE President Michelle Ebanks. And while students learn, their guardians enjoy the resort.
To date, 800 students from around the nation have participated in Disney Dreamers Academy.
Here’s what a few Disney Dreamer Academy alumni have said about the program’s impact:
•“Not only did attending Disney Dreamers Academy allow me to further my knowledge, but it exposed me to new possibilities I had never even thought of. I was able to grow by exploring avenues that were foreign but enlightening for me.” – Aisha Louis, Disney Dreamer class of 2013
•“I left the Dreamers Academy with a new spirit. I did not want the magic to end. Post-Academy I worked even harder and actually believed in my dreams. Since being at college, I have flourished, traveled and made lifelong friends.” – Imani McClendon, Disney Dreamer class of 2012
•“Disney Dreamers Academy changed my life by exposing me to the philosophies and principles of successful men and women. Learning these principles gave me the tools to properly execute the goals that I have set and that have been set for me.” – Jonathan Johnson, Disney Dreamer class of 2015
•“Disney Dreamers Academy showed me you dream big for a reason, and ultimately the only person who can limit your dreams is you. It showed me there will always be roadblocks and difficulties as you try to achieve your dream, but it is important to realize they are placed there for a reason, and that is for you to learn from them.” – Matthew Young, Disney Dreamer class of 2014
•“Disney Dreamers Academy helped me create a path to pursue my dream. It gave me the confidence to believe in myself, which carries me through the setbacks, and it reinforced the “never give up” attitude which keeps me focused to persevere in my life goals.” – Rachel Pence, Disney Dreamer class of 2014
U.S. high school students ages 13-19 can apply for the 2016 Disney Dreamers Academy. The top 100 winners will be announced in December 2015.
APPLY NOW! Don’t miss this great opportunity to meet experienced and accomplished mentors onsite at Walt Disney World, who will help guide you on reaching your dreams and to DREAM even BIGGER!
Click the link now; you never know where your dreams may take you. DisneyDreamersAcademy.com