Disney Dreamers Academy: Have Your 13-19 YO Apply TODAY
By Nellie Acevedo
Sometimes a once in a lifetime opportunity comes along that has the potential to change the path of our children’s lives. If you have a child (or know a child) that is between the ages of 13 and 19 years old, you should consider having them apply to the 10th Anniversary Installment of the Disney Dreamers Academy.
What is the Disney Dreamers Academy?
“Disney Dreamers Academy is a four-day, power-packed event in which 100 select high school students, ages 13 to 19, are inspired, motivated and prepared to dream big.”
Last week MyBrownBaby was invited to attend a media lunch held in NYC at The National Restaurant, presented by Disney. The room was filled with incredibly strong and influential African American journalists as well as a graduate and Alumnus of the Disney Dreamers Academy program, Robert D. Jackson.
Robert shared his incredible story with us and you could immediately see the profound effect of what the Disney Dreamers Academy program has done for him and is continually doing for him to this day.
“I remember going to Walt Disney World for the first time,” Robert shared. “That was also the first time for my family to travel outside of Texas which was very significant for me and my family. I got there and I was just overwhelmed by the amount of people, resources, love and support that was given to every dreamer that was selected.”
What did the days look like for Robert? What were the sessions like? 
“Luckily I was able to attend the Disney Dreamers Academy four years in a row in various roles: as a student, as a champion and as an ambassador. The first year I took the acting track. I was able to work with experts in theater and we were able to participate in acting workshops. The second year I did a dance and voiceover exercise which was really nice. The third year I went back to acting and was able to work directly with Lamann Rucker.
The daily experience was incredible. From waking up every morning to gospel music, to the amazing breakfast spreads. Every morning started with beautiful singing or a motivational speech. Afterwards we would breakout from there to a different group that was more focused on our [potential] professions to it ranged from engineering to the sciences, to the performing arts to the humanities, to biology and medicine–whatever you wanted to pursue, the Disney Dreamers Academy made should they provided the resources for you to have that one on one experience working with an expert or professional in that field.
After lunch there was an activity that was usually in the parks to encourage bonding with your group. There were other activities throughout the day that encouraged networking and building relationship with your fellow class members. The leaders were honest with us and gave us a real person to look up to which made me believe that if it was possible for them, it was possible for me to achieve my dreams as well. We had real life model representatives to look up to.
Today I realize the impact that the Disney Dreamers Academy has on me. Moving forward I will forever be a long life ambassador for this organization just because of what it represents and what it will mean for many students that haven’t been selected yet.”
Disney is currently looking for Dreamers for next year’s Disney Dreamers Academy, a program designed to give young people the tools they need to make their dreams come true. Potential Dreamers must be between the ages of 13 and 19, living in the United States and be enrolled in high school, grades 9 through 12, when applying.
The deadline for the 2017 class is October 31st! For a complete list of rules, go here.
* * *
Nellie Acevedo is a Brooklyn mom of two brown boys and blogs fitness, family & fun at BrooklynActiveMama.com. You can find her on Facebook, Instagram and babbling profusely on Twitter.
