High School Students Nationwide Chosen for 2016 Disney Dreamers Academy at Walt Disney World Resort

High School Students Nationwide Chosen for 2016 Disney Dreamers Academy at Walt Disney World Resort

Approximately 100 "Dreamers'' selected from thousands of applicants across the country for ninth-annual career and mentoring event taking place in March; Group includes more than 50 students from the Southeast and more than 10 from the Northeast, Southwest, West and Midwest regions

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla., Feb. 2, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Approximately 100 students from across America will soon pack their bags for a fabulous, fun-filled and educational trip to Walt Disney World Resort as part of this year's Disney Dreamers Academy with Steve Harvey and ESSENCE, March 3-6, 2016.

The teens, along with a parent or guardian, will take off on an all-expense-paid trip to Walt Disney World Resort in Florida, where they will experience once-in-a-lifetime educational and mentoring program designed to inspire them to dream big and discover a world of possibilities that will help them prepare for their future.

The students, known as "Dreamers," are taken on stage and behind the scenes, where Disney theme parks become vibrant 'classrooms' and students discover new careers and pursue their dreams while also creating fun memories that last a lifetime.

During Disney Dreamers Academy, students participate in hands-on, immersive career-oriented workshops, ranging from animation to zoology. Each student is given important tools such as effective communication techniques, leadership skills, and networking strategies.

Additionally, Dreamers are exposed to acclaimed motivational speakers and popular celebrities who share their stories and insight on achieving success and DREAMING BIG. Dreamers have the opportunity to cultivate relationships with other students from across the nation while gaining first-hand knowledge from Disney experts and renowned entrepreneurs and executives.

"Disney Dreamers Academy is a one-of-a-kind program that, since its inception, is helping more than 800 students achieve their dreams," said Tracey D. Powell, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts vice president of deluxe resorts. Powell serves as Disney Dreamers Academy executive champion. "As we prepare for our ninth annual event, the greatest reward has been seeing so many of our previous Dreamers use their experience at Disney Dreamers Academy to expand their dreams and move even closer to making them a reality. After all, that is what the program is all about," said Powell.

Walt Disney World Resort, along with syndicated television and radio personality Steve Harvey and ESSENCE Communications, will host the selected Dreamers during their magical four-day career and educational exploration.

"Disney Dreamers Academy provides an excellent learning environment to help young students with their aspirations and to dream even bigger," said Harvey. "I can't wait to meet this year's new students and kick off the 2016 Disney Dreamers Academy at Walt Disney World Resort in March."

Michelle Ebanks, president of ESSENCE Communications, added: "We are excited to once again join with Disney Parks and Steve Harvey to encourage our youth to dream big. Our expectation is that this group of remarkable teens will be the leaders of tomorrow and positively impact the world for years to come. It is our honor and commitment at ESSENCE to be part of that process."

This year's students were selected from thousands of applicants who answered a series of essay questions about their personal stories and dreams for the future. The students were chosen by a judging panel that included: gospel music legend Yolanda Adams; ESSENCE magazine editor-at-large Mikki Taylor; education advocate Dr. Steve Perry; The Sister Accord founder and author Sonia Jackson Myles; award-winning motivational speaker Jonathan Sprinkles; Simply Ellis Custom Clothier CEO Dr. Alex O. Ellis; Steve and Marjorie Harvey Foundation executive director Brandi Harvey; Steve Harvey Products creative director Karli Harvey; and professional speaker and Disney Dreamers Academy alumnus Princeton Parker.

For more information, visit DisneyDreamersAcademy.com. Regular updates about Disney Dreamers Academy are also available on social media at Facebook/DisneyDreamersAcademy or Twitter/DreamersAcademy.

For a list of 2016 Dreamers and Bios, please visit DisneyDreamersAcademy.com/dreamers/2016/






NORTHEAST STUDENTS (22) First Name Last Name City State MIDWEST (12)
---------------------- ---------- --------- ---- ----- -----------

First Name Last Name City State Nina Giddens Atlanta GA First Name Last Name City State
---------- --------- ---- ----- ---- ------- ------- --- ---------- --------- ---- -----

Chase Kinzly New Haven CT Adenike Makinde Atlanta GA Jordan Williams Chicago IL
----- ------ --------- --- ------- ------- ------- --- ------ -------- ------- ---

Ahmad Pearl Baltimore MD Drehanna Smith Atlanta GA Maria Batt Winchester IN
----- ----- --------- --- -------- ----- ------- --- ----- ---- ---------- ---

Jalen Greene Bowie MD Kaylin Garnett Augusta GA Alana Crawford Detroit MI
----- ------ ----- --- ------ ------- ------- --- ----- -------- ------- ---

Chancie Brown Bowie MD Ricardo Hartley, III Avondale Estates GA Maya Mohammed Detroit MI
------- ----- ----- --- ------- ------------ ---------------- --- ---- -------- ------- ---

Autumn Johnson Columbia MD SeMya Buckley Brunswick GA Kaitlyn McQueen Troy MI
------ ------- -------- --- ----- ------- --------- --- ------- ------- ---- ---

Moniesha Lawings Columbia MD Shane Porter Douglasville GA Imani Hayden Wyoming MI
-------- ------- -------- --- ----- ------ ------------ --- ----- ------ ------- ---

Kennedy Cole Crofton MD Jordan Williams Duluth GA Casey Jasper Andover MN
------- ---- ------- --- ------ -------- ------ --- ----- ------ ------- ---

LaKiyah Seard Hyattsville MD Jacoby Felder Duluth GA Serina Fischer Shakopee MN
------- ----- ----------- --- ------ ------ ------ --- ------ ------- -------- ---

Nicolas Baker Silver Spring MD Tatiana Lampkin Kennesaw GA Margaret Helderle St. Louis MO
------- ----- ------------- --- ------- ------- -------- --- -------- -------- --------- ---

Taylor Smith Upper Marlboro MD Sabrina Warner Lawrenceville GA Alanna Wall Dayton OH
------ ----- -------------- --- ------- ------ ------------- --- ------ ---- ------ ---

Jalena Gathright Nashua NH Selena Carrillo Lawrenceville GA Annie Eliza Blake Springboro OH
------ --------- ------ --- ------ -------- ------------- --- ----------- ----- ---------- ---

Nicole Hood Camden NJ Kristopher Jones Monroe GA Andre Matthews Toledo OH
------ ---- ------ --- ---------- ----- ------ --- ----- -------- ------ ---

Emily Braisted Morganville NJ Skylar Bass Riverdale GA WEST/SOUTHWEST (22)
----- -------- ----------- --- ------ ---- --------- --- -------------------

Aaron Miller Rochelle Park NJ Valencia Scales Scottdale GA Alize Chavez Fairfield CA
----- ------ ------------- --- -------- ------ --------- --- ----- ------ --------- ---

Justin Rabjohn Brockport NY Carolina Ramirez Senoia GA Devin Elmore Los Angeles CA
------ ------- --------- --- -------- ------- ------ --- ----- ------ ----------- ---

Rachel Sudyn Lancaster NY Mykayla Mathis Thomson GA Nia Marshall Los Angeles CA
------ ----- --------- --- ------- ------ ------- --- --- -------- ----------- ---

Tyler Cohen Miller Place NY Jaylin Grier Union City GA Ronald Clinton Manhattan Beach CA
----- ----- ------------ --- ------ ----- ---------- --- ------ ------- --------------- ---

Olivia Alexander Thiells NY Nazareth Brown Woodstock GA Megan Hubbard Mission Viejo CA
------ --------- ------- --- -------- ----- --------- --- ----- ------- ------------- ---

Breyana Chavis Bensalem PA Antoine "D'lo " White IV Opelousas LA Ellis Glover Murrieta CA
------- ------ -------- --- --------------- -------- --------- --- ----- ------ -------- ---

Victoria Childs Coatesville PA Catherine Bishop West Monroe LA Suniya Barnes Oakland CA
-------- ------ ----------- --- --------- ------ ----------- --- ------ ------ ------- ---

Keenen McGarry Erie PA Mary Entrekin Gulfport MS Lee'Andrajnae Cross Vallejo CA
------ ------- ---- --- ---- -------- -------- --- ------------- ----- ------- ---

Nicole Matos-Perez Sewickley PA Tyrin Truong Gulfport MS Dyamond Bolden Vallejo CA
------ ----------- --------- --- ----- ------ -------- --- ------- ------ ------- ---

SOUTHEAST STUDENTS (51) Doryan McCallum Charlotte NC Miles Louison Aurora CO
---------------------- ------ -------- --------- --- ----- ------- ------ ---

First Name Last Name City State Dymon Atkinson Goldsboro NC Caleb Martin Las Vegas NV
---------- --------- ---- ----- ----- -------- --------- --- ----- ------ --------- ---

Jonah Hadaway Bessemer AL Rashonda Blue Knightdale NC Anaya Skinner North Las Vegas NV
----- ------- -------- --- -------- ---- ---------- --- ----- ------- --------------- ---

Chase Russell Trussville AL Jaelyn Ellis Blythewood SC Deja Kirk Oklahoma City OK
----- ------- ---------- --- ------ ----- ---------- --- ---- ---- ------------- ---

Jamya Pickney Monticello AR Lamyia Love Clover SC Jalysse Brown Tulsa OK
----- ------- ---------- --- ------ ---- ------ --- ------- ----- ----- ---

Kirby Gilmore Cutler Bay FL Maurice Holloway Columbus SC Saherish Surani Corpus Christi TX
----- ------- ---------- --- ------- -------- -------- --- -------- ------ -------------- ---

Justin Gonzalez Miami FL India Phillips Latta SC Tristan Bennett Henderson TX
------ -------- ----- --- ----- -------- ----- --- ------- ------- --------- ---

K'deja Correa Miami FL Kennedi Jeter Newberry SC Gabrielle King Houston TX
------ ------ ----- --- ------- ----- -------- --- --------- ---- ------- ---

Steshawna Thomas Middleburg FL Ellxis Hinton Summerville SC Athena Bruess McKinney TX
--------- ------ ---------- --- ------ ------ ----------- --- ------ ------ -------- ---

Marlene Morrison Ocala FL Akolbia Biggers Hermitage TN Jarielle Nabors Mesquite TX
------- -------- ----- --- ------- ------- --------- --- -------- ------ -------- ---

Tyrah Rumph Orlando FL Adrian Carney Ripley TN Kenedi McCormick Plano TX
----- ----- ------- --- ------ ------ ------ --- ------ --------- ----- ---

Alex Gregory Port Charlotte FL Dylan Carrier Palmyra VA Aubriana Slaughter Salt Lake City UT
---- ------- -------------- --- ----- ------- ------- --- -------- --------- -------------- ---

Valeria Hansen Weston FL Izaiah Hillman Richmond VA Jesus McCloskey Kent WA
------- ------ ------ --- ------ ------- -------- --- ----- --------- ---- ---

Victoria Tinney Zephyrhills FL LeNice Jackson Virginia Beach VA
-------- ------ ----------- --- ------ ------- -------------- ---

N'Naserri Carew-Johnson Atlanta GA Kastel Kima Virginia Beach VA
--------- ------------- ------- --- ------ ---- -------------- ---




*Participation is subject to verification and return of the required documentation.

https://photos.prnewswire.com/prnvar/20160201/328421



https://photos.prnewswire.com/prnvar/20160201/328422



https://photos.prnewswire.com/prnvar/20160201/328424LOGO



https://photos.prnewswire.com/prnvar/20160201/328425

Video - http://origin-qps.onstreammedia.com/origin/multivu_archive/PRNA/ENR/328423-Disney-Dreamer-Academy-Workshop.mp4
Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160201/328421
Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160201/328422
Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160201/328424LOGO
Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160201/328425

SOURCE Walt Disney World Resort

Photo:https://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160201/328421
http://photoarchive.ap.org/
Photo:https://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160201/328422
http://photoarchive.ap.org/
Photo:https://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160201/328424LOGO
http://photoarchive.ap.org/
Photo:https://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160201/328425
http://photoarchive.ap.org/
Photo:https://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160201/328421
http://photoarchive.ap.org/
Photo:https://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160201/328422
http://photoarchive.ap.org/
Photo:https://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160201/328424LOGO
http://photoarchive.ap.org/
Photo:https://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160201/328425
http://photoarchive.ap.org/
Video:http://origin-qps.onstreammedia.com/origin/multivu_archive/PRNA/ENR/328423-Disney-Dreamer-Academy-Workshop.mp4
Walt Disney World Resort

CONTACT: Walt Disney World Resort, Geoffrey Pointon, Public Relations, geoffrey.pointon@disney.com, 407.566.7198, or TJM Communications, Inc., Treva J. Marshall, treva@tjmcommunications.com, Joel Kaiman, joel@tjmcommunications.com, 407.977.5004

Web Site: http://www.disneydreamersacademy.com


-------
Profile: intent