Dreams came true for 50 metro Atlanta middle school students on Thursday, thanks to a new collaboration between Walt Disney World and Boys & Girls Clubs.
Decked in matching purple Disney Dreamers Academy (DDA) T-shirts, the students walked down a purple carpet and through a tunnel of cheering pom-poms at the John H. Harland Boys & Girls Club, officially kicking off the first cohort in a new chapter for the DDA as it marks 20 years of impact.
The pilot program is a multi-year experience designed to reach students earlier and keep them connected to the program over time, bringing together students from across the Atlanta, Orlando, Miami, and Houston metropolitan areas.
Historically, DDA has welcomed 100 high school students to Walt Disney World for a multi-day conference featuring Disney cast members, celebrity ambassadors, and industry leaders. The pilot program will double that, allowing 200 students selected by participating Boys & Girls Clubs to dream big and engage in a mix of virtual mentoring, local community workshops, and transformative experiences at Walt Disney World.
“It is collaborations like this that make a huge difference in what we’re able to do with our organization. If you think about it, we have over 2,500 kids that come to the Boys and Girls Club of Metro Atlanta every single day,” said Libby Saylor Wright, the president & CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta.
“We have an opportunity to allow them to experience things that they have not experienced before, and through those experiences, they discover what is important to them. They build a level of confidence, a level of wide-eyed enthusiasm, and so then they’re able to take that and make the dream that they may have had even bigger.”
The celebration brought a piece of Walt Disney World to Atlanta, with activities such as decorating Mickey Mouse ears, racing toy robots, a listening station for Disney anthems, background displays of the different parks, and photo opportunities with Princess Tiana from “The Princess and the Frog,” Mirabel Madrigal from “Encanto,” and Mickey and Minnie Mouse. As a DJ played music, the students enjoyed a buffet of food and mingled with other students, Disney volunteers, and Boys and Girls Club of Metro Atlanta representatives, getting a glimpse of what awaited them as new Disney Dreamers.
“Here at Disney, over the months ahead, you will discover more about yourself. You will build new skills and confidence. You’ll explore different careers and meet many inspiring people. You will experience a little Disney magic along the way and have a chance to also visit Walt Disney World. Now you’re going to be a part of something bigger,” said Tajiana Ancora-Brown, Walt Disney World’s director of external affairs.
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