Big Dreams Come True: Welcome The New Class of 2024 to Disney Dreamers Academy
Big Dreams Come True: Welcome The New Class of 2024 to Disney Dreamers Academy

Big Dreams Come True: Welcome The New Class of 2024 to Disney Dreamers Academy. If you have ever sat down and had a conversation with me, you will always hear how much Disney Dreamers Academy opened my eyes to the future of our country and world. I fully believe we are in good hands after meeting the Dreamers Students.

These kids represent the brightest and best, they will be the future leaders and CEOs, and Disney does an amazing job bringing these young adults to Disney World for 4 days of classes, inspirational talks, and an inside look at how major corporations operate.

Congratulations to the Class of 2024, and congrats to the students from the town we lived in for many years. We know the community she will represent and even if we have not met her yet, we are proud of her!

They want to build rocket ships that soar through the galaxy; teach people nationwide how to make better nutritional choices; and spread even more magic at The Most Magical Place on Earth. They are high school students from the 2024 class of Disney Dreamers Academy, and they all have the same thing in common – Big Dreams!

The new class of 100 students from around the country was revealed today on the Martin Luther King Day holiday by Walt Disney World Resort in Florida, where the annual mentoring program was created to broaden career awareness and inspire teens from Black and underrepresented communities to dream beyond their wildest imaginations.

Big Dreams Come True: Welcome The New Class of 2024 to Disney Dreamers Academy
Sophia Halm, a student at Columbia High School in New Jersey, and her mother, Cynthia Halm, are interviewed on Good Morning America by Robin Roberts and Gio Benitez on Jan. 15, 2024, as Sophia discussed her selection in this year’s Disney Dreamers Academy at Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. Disney Dreamers Academy is a mentoring program hosted annually at Walt Disney World Resort to foster the dreams of Black students and teens from underrepresented communities. (ABC/ Jeff Neira)

Related: Exciting Changes at Walt Disney World in 2024

The selected students were featured during a live TV segment on ABC’s “Good Morning America.’’ The segment highlighted one of the selected students,16-year-old Sophia of South Orange, New Jersey, who is involved with her local YMCA, Girls Scouts, orchestra, lacrosse and the math team, and aspires to become an aerospace engineer.

The full list of students is available at www.DisneyDreamersAcademy.com.

At the four-day program at Walt Disney World, Sophia and the other Disney Dreamers will engage with business leaders, Disney executives, celebrities, and educators, who will immerse them in workshops and seminars designed to supercharge their career dreams. The students will also explore a wide range of career disciplines while also learning essential skills, such as effective communication techniques, leadership, and networking strategies.

And, of course, they will spend plenty of time experiencing the magic of Walt Disney World.

“We eagerly anticipate the arrival of another exceptional group of high schoolers from all corners of the country for our 17th year!” remarked Tracey Powell, Senior Vice President of Consumer Insight, Measurement & Analytics and Executive Champion of Disney Dreamers Academy. “These future leaders are poised to embark on a transformative journey, gaining an experience of a lifetime that will propel them towards achieving their dreams.”

Sophia Halm, a high school student from South Orange, NJ and aspiring aerospace engineer, stands alongside her family after an interview on national TV discussing her selection in this year’s Disney Dreamers Academy at Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. Disney Dreamers Academy is a mentoring program hosted annually at Walt Disney World Resort to foster the dreams of Black students and teens from underrepresented communities. (ABC/ Jeff Neira)

Each year, the Disney Dreamers are selected from thousands of applicants who answer essay questions about their personal stories and dreams for the future. The students and a parent or guardian enjoy an all-expenses paid trip to Walt Disney World. The program is an important part of Disney’s commitment to supporting diverse communities by encouraging the next generation to think and dream big.

Since 2008, Disney Dreamers Academy has inspired more than 1,600 students from across the country by fueling their dreams and showing them a world of possibilities as they prepare for their futures. In the years following, graduates have become storytellers, artists, engineers, innovators, journalists, and more, and have transitioned into mentors to the Disney Dreamers who follow them.

The 100 students selected for the 2024 Disney Dreamers Academy are (listed by state): 

NameCityState
Trynnady A.DemopolisAL
Makena D.Oro ValleyAZ
Eli M.MesaAZ
Chase R.PeoriaAZ
Yara A.SunnyvaleCA
Christian A.Chula VistaCA
Johannes A.Los AngelesCA
Kira B.Mission ViejoCA
Zoie D.Chula VistaCA
Orlando E.Los AngelesCA
Gavin K.OrangeCA
David L.EncinoCA
Maria L.Los AngelesCA
Noelle N.TorranceCA
Lola O.CarsonCA
Ahmad S.BanningCA
Ricardo S.BellCA
Roshan S.WhittierCA
Abigail V.Aliso ViejoCA
Shrujana V.PleasantonCA
Emma Rose W.Laguna NiguelCA
Yuri Y.FullertonCA
Sophia Z.San JoseCA
James C.GranbyCT
Julia A.WashingtonDC
Sofia B.Boynton BeachFL
Mya C.Fort LauderdaleFL
Michaelangelo D.KissimmeeFL
Gabriella G.Sunny Isles BeachFL
Devanshi Krishna G.Wesley ChapelFL
Dayna H.Belle IsleFL
Alana M.LauderhillFL
Gabriel Q.Dade CityFL
Bengina A.Lithia SpringsGA
Hannah D.RiverdaleGA
Lillian F.Mount AiryGA
Jordan H.GrovetownGA
Riley K.AcworthGA
Amir M.MabletonGA
Patrice N.AugustaGA
Bianca O.MariettaGA
Cameryn P.AtlantaGA
Ellis S.AtlantaGA
Elisabeth L.Des MoinesIA
Kevin K.Arlington HeightsIL
Kjersten O.CarmelIN
Leena D.OlatheKS
Ayanna J.OlatheKS
Kaleyce M.MerriamKS
Graham B.Fort ThomasKY
JahhSuha O.LexingtonKY
Ja’Leah R.Baton RougeLA
Ezekiel W.SlidellLA
Anah S.RockvilleMD
Keyaira J.DetroitMI
Hosanna Z.YpsilantiMI
Legacy J.Saint LouisMO
Mia E.RaleighNC
Jill H.GarnerNC
Camille S.CharlotteNC
Shadiya U.CharlotteNC
Tacori W.Winston-SalemNC
Jayden W.HendersonNC
Sanaa W.CharlotteNC
Nathaniel D.WillingboroNJ
Sophia H.South OrangeNJ
Reyna M.BridgetonNJ
Jasmine O.Las VegasNV
Rabiat A.BronxNY
Kyla Marie G.LaureltonNY
Ava R.Grand IslandNY
Jacora G.Oakwood VillageOH
Benjamin M.HudsonOH
Faith S.ByesvilleOH
TeLario W.BlacklickOH
Daniela L.NorristownPA
Nandana M.McDonaldPA
Joci W.MunfordTN
Ahlaysia B.DesotoTX
Hayden B.HuttoTX
Walter B.San AntonioTX
Christiana B.LewisvilleTX
Logan E.League CityTX
Lakshmi G.CoppellTX
Zahra K.PlanoTX
Madison M.DallasTX
Nigel M.Missouri CityTX
Julia S.San AntonioTX
Elyse W.OrangeTX
Gavin W.Sugar LandTX
James Y.HoustonTX
Jameson B.ChesapeakeVA
Athena B.Falls ChurchVA
Alyssa C.AftonVA
Ella E.FarmvilleVA
Elijah M.NorfolkVA
Eleanor T.Gig HarborWA
Matthew A.ShorewoodWI
Loren M.MilwaukeeWI
Jaeda W.MadisonWI

About Disney Dreamers Academy:

Established by Walt Disney World in 2008, Disney Dreamers Academy’s mission is to inspire young leaders to dream beyond imagination by providing life-long access to personalized support for the Disney Dreamers, their caregivers, and the community through insightful content and uplifting experts, mentors, and sponsors. Each year, 100 high school students are awarded a trip to the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida to experience the immersive and transformational program.

Sophia Halm, a high school student from South Orange, NJ and aspiring aerospace engineer, is featured in a national TV interview on Jan. 15, 2024. The interview highlighted the news that she is one of the 100 students selected for this year’s Disney Dreamers Academy at Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. Disney Dreamers Academy, taking place April 2024, is a mentoring program hosted annually by Walt Disney World Resort that fosters the dreams of Black students and teens from underrepresented communities. (ABC/ Jeff Neira)

Big Dreams Come True: Welcome The New Class of 2024 to Disney Dreamers Academy

Previous articleDisney+ Live Show Earns Elton John an Emmy Completing the EGOT
Next articleWelcome HOME! House of Mouse Expo 2024 is Coming
Greg "The Blue Hair" Blogger. If you are traveling around the Central Florida area you wont miss his Blue Head walking around, probably taking images. Co-Owner, Photographer, Podcaster, All Around Nice Guy, and curator of the most fantastical Disney Blog. You can listen to Greg on The Live Podcast show every week, along with seeing him live on Funatics Diary with Sam's Disney Diary. Once an Audio Engineer and Tour Manager with bands like Felix Cavaliere's Rascals, Collin Raye, Dispatch, just to name a few. Having retired from touring Greg spends all his time bringing the World of Disney to you. With over 3000 Articles written, and countless Images taken, Greg still enjoys living this amazing lifestyle. Thank You for reading!