Five California students–including three from the Los Angeles area–have been selected to attend the 2011 Disney’s Dreamers Academy, and beginning March 3 they will have the opportunity to go to Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Fla., and participate in series of a unique workshops on subjects including entertainment, entrepreneurship, the culinary arts and creative inspiration from Walt Disney Imagineering.
Princeton Parker, 16, who attends the Hamilton High Academy of Music in Los Angeles, said he was “called” to his church and music at an early age and was licensed to preach by age 7. He also plays drums, piano and organ.
Rufus Humphreys, 17, a student at Culver City High School, is a sports fanatic. At 6 feet 5 inches, basketball is a given, but he also plays baseball and volleyball and hopes to study neuroscience or chemical engineering in college.
Maresja Bray, 15, attends Bishop Montgomery High School. Because she lost a younger brother to cancer at an early age, Bray started a foundation to provide support to the families of those who have young children with cancer. She is also a dedicated student and dreams of attending Spelman College in Atlanta.
Brittnay Dunn, 17, attends Pleasant Grove High School in Elk Grove, and Alanah Grisham, 16, is a student at Mt. Carmel High School in San Diego.
These five young people are part of a group of 100 students nationwide who were selected from thousands of nominees in November. They will attend the four-day Disney’s Dreamers Academy and get a chance to meet comedian and philanthropist Steve Harvey, as well as officials from Essence magazine. They will also talk with Disney experts, renowned entrepreneurs and celebrities to learn their blueprints for success.
The academy was launched in 2007 to motivate students in grades 9 to 12 to achieve their dreams personally and professionally. The idea is to find youngsters who display curiosity, compassion and leadership skills.
For details on the academy, go to the website www.disneysdreamersacademy.com. Call for entries for the 2012 academy are expected to be issued in mid- to late August, and the deadline to submit an application is usually at the end of October.
