Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter, actress and executive producer Kelly Rowland rides along with several Disney Dreamers during a celebratory parade at Magic Kingdom during the landmark 15th year of Disney Dreamers Academy at Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. The Disney Dreamers Academy, taking place March 3-6, 2022 is a mentorship event hosted annually by Walt Disney World Resort that fosters the dreams of Black students and teens from underrepresented communities. (Photo: Todd Anderson, photographer)
Eight Atlanta-Area High School Students Participate in Special Cavalcade at Magic Kingdom During Opening Day of Disney Dreamers Academy Mentoring Program at Walt Disney World Resort
Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter, actress and executive producer Kelly Rowland rides along with several Disney Dreamers during a celebratory parade at Magic Kingdom during the landmark 15th year of Disney Dreamers Academy at Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. The Disney Dreamers Academy, taking place March 3-6, 2022 is a mentorship event hosted annually by Walt Disney World Resort that fosters the dreams of Black students and teens from underrepresented communities.
Eight Atlanta-area high school students are among the 100 teens who participated in the special opening cavalcade at Magic Kingdom for the first day of the 15th year of Disney Dreamers Academy – a four-day immersive and transformational mentoring program. The students were joined in the cavalcade by four-time Grammy Award-winner Kelly Rowland and iconic Disney characters, including Mickey Mouse dressed in his drum major outfit leading group.
The 100 students were selected from thousands of applicants nationwide for this once-in-a-lifetime mentoring program designed to assist young people in identifying and pursuing their dreams. The students, along with a parent or guardian, received all-expense-paid trips to Walt Disney World to participate in the program, which features career-oriented workshops, leadership seminars and presentations by celebrity guests. The educational mentorship program created and hosted by Walt Disney World Resort is designed to broaden career awareness and create opportunities for Black students and teens from underrepresented communities across America.
This year’s celebrity guest lineup includes:
• Singer, Songwriter, Actress, and Executive Producer Kelly Rowland
• Gospel artist Kierra Sheard
• R&B recording artist Mali Music
• Actress Faithe Herman of the NBC drama series “This Is Us”
• Actress Demi Singleton, who played tennis star Serena Williams in the Oscar-nominated film “King Richard” and starred in Disney’s The Lion King on Broadway, among others.
PHOTO AND VIDEO:
Video and photos from today’s parade and photo/video assets of other Disney Dreamers Academy events will be available throughout the weekend at
https://tinyurl.com/DDA2022Media (Box.com) or
https://disneyparks.exavault.com
Username: DDA22
Password: dreamers2022
Content will be uploaded according to the following schedule:
Day/Time Photo/Video Content
Thursday, March 3 – 8:00pm • AVAILABLE NOW – Students in Magic Kingdom (photo/video)
• AVAILABLE NOW – Group photos of students in Magic Kingdom from Atlanta; Charlotte; Chicago; Dallas; Florida; Houston; Dallas; New Jersey; New York City; Washington, D.C. (photo)
• AVIALABLE NOW – Student (soundbites)
• Walt Disney World executive (soundbites)
• Kelly Rowland (photo/soundbites)
Friday, March 4 – Morning • Welcome ceremony featuring Mickey Mouse (photo/video)
Friday, March 4 – Evening • Students participating in career workshops (photo/video)
Saturday, March 5 – Evening • Students participating in dress-for-success session (photo/video)
• Celebrity panel featuring: gospel star Kiera Sheard, “King Richard” actress Demi Singleton, “This is Us” actress Faithe Herman and more (photo/video/soundbites)
Sunday, March 6 – Afternoon • Commencement ceremony featuring Kelly Rowland and Mickey Mouse (photo/video)
• Students (soundbites)
• Class of 2022 photo w/ all 100 students (photo/video)
STUDENTS: The 100 students attending this weekend’s event are, in alphabetical order by state:
First Name Last Name City State
Nolan Hatcher Birmingham AL
Ava Cocke Fairhope AL
Mackenzie Hill Hazel Green AL
Jaynie Turner Helena AL
Tylor Anderson Mobile AL
Prisha Shroff Chandler AZ
Annalise Jones Mesa AZ
Alex Zhang Cupertino CA
Jamila Abdelkarim Fullerton CA
Katherine Lawler Livermore CA
Roi Clinton Manhattan Beach CA
Kevin Gonzalez Ramirez San Diego CA
Kayli Joy Cooper Studio City CA
Sophia Mitsuoka Centennial CO
Caleb Hatch Colorado Springs CO
McKenzie Williams Boca Raton FL
Christianna Alexander Jacksonville FL
Zachary Andrews Jacksonville FL
Khushi Talluru Lakewood Ranch FL
Isabella Puglisi Miami Shores FL
Roxie Richbourg Orlando FL
Javier Lageyre Weston FL
Ramon Abreu Windermere FL
Azriel Melvin Atlanta GA
Jordyn Spencer Atlanta GA
Nathanael Occilien-Similien Covington GA
MiCai Haywood Fairburn GA
Cedaisia Talton Fort Valley GA
Amia Georges Marietta GA
Ryann Richards Powder Springs GA
Ilarose Robinson Riverdale GA
Abigail Smith Statesboro GA
Kayla Nelson Frankfort IL
Reagan Sturgis Cambridge Cty IN
Alison Yee Leawood KS
Hrilina Rakhs Gretna LA
Elizabeth Garder Mandeville LA
Rose Warfield Grafton MA
Lance Carr Clarksburg MD
Kemery Oparah Clinton MD
Danielle Nelson Columbia MD
Kaiya Jones Ellicott City MD
Whitley Shields Fort Washington MD
CiaRa Sejour Ft Washington MD
Caleb Oh Gambrills MD
Amber Johnson Oxon Hill MD
Olivia Jones Silver Spring MD
Miyana Holden Bloomfield Hills MI
Alexis Cornett Highland MI
Sean Shelbrock Montrose MI
Maxwell Parney Rochester MN
Michael Wren Florissant MO
Bryce Allen Charlotte NC
Journi Kirby Concord NC
Joshua Hanflink Greensboro NC
Britney Nyabaro Wake Forest NC
Maya Roseboro Wilmington NC
Justin Fountain Winston Salem NC
Diya Nair Avenel NJ
Denia Smith Belle Mead NJ
Darius Brown Newark NJ
Kendall Henderson Robbinsville NJ
Alexis Halm South Orange NJ
Abibat Akinyele Yusifu Bronx NY
Elsa Woodarek Ellicottville NY
Malaya Talavera Hicksville NY
Michael Taggart Jamaica NY
Justin Alvarez New York NY
Darcie Wu New York NY
Aaliyah Summons Port Jervis NY
Cyruss Bell Rochester NY
Naeema Baksh Rosedale NY
Sanaalee Troupe Uniondale NY
Annabel Long Bexley OH
Isabella Green Cleveland OH
Nolan Pastore Hartville OH
Meghana Boda Lewis Center OH
Skylar Blumenauer Massillon OH
Emma Jeffrey Yukon OK
Kyler Wang Portland OR
Bethany Washington Hanover PA
Zachary Sullivan Pittsburgh PA
Arianna Gaiter Pittsburgh PA
Victoria Ren Sewickley PA
Tyra Jefferson Columbia SC
Cadence Brown Williston SC
Samuel Draper Converse TX
Mason Thenor Cypress TX
Andre Scott Humble TX
Baani Sandhu Irving TX
Destiny Weeden Killeen TX
Maya Burns McKinney TX
Elizabeth Mielke Prosper TX
Marcus Drake Rockwall TX
Theodore Hervey San Antonio TX
Myles Bracey-Hairston Lorton VA
Audrey Zorrilla Midlothian VA
Kortney Bostic Shenandoah VA
Samantha Haywood Vienna VA
SImmi Sen Vancouver WA
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