Eight Georgians were among 100 students chosen for the Disney Dreamers Academy Class of 2024
Lake Buena Vista, Fl. – Day 1: Dream Big
Led by their drum major, Mickey Mouse, a brass band and trio of drum majors from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU), started a procession into a ballroom at Disney Contemporary Resort. Behind them were 100 talented young people representing communities from all over the country. They are the Disney Dreamers Academy Class of 2024.
Eight of the Disney Dreamers are from the state of Georgia, with three hailing from metro Atlanta: Cameryn Polk, a senior at Elite Scholars Academy in Clayton County; Hannah Dennis, a freshman at Elite Scholars Academy; and Hollis Amir Law Mason, a junior soccer player and honors student at The Westminster Schools in Atlanta.
The other students from Georgia are Bengina Amponsah, a senior at Lithia Springs High School who is interested in studying mechanical engineering; Lillian Farrar, a senior at Tallulah Falls High School; Riley Kennard, a junior at North Cobb High School’s Magnet Program for International Studies, Bianca Orfila-Molinet, a senior at North Cobb High School, and Ellis Schroeder, a 17-year-old that is passionate about LGBTQ+ advocacy and the arts.
Once seated, the Disney Dreamers were greeted by Tracey Powell, Sr. Vice President of Consumer Insights, Measurements and Analytics of Walt Disney Parks & Resorts and Disney Dreamers Executive Champion. Powell, dressed in a colorful floral gown, spoke of her 21 years of working for the global entertainment brand and how she moved from job to job within the company, the entire time believing in herself and her abilities.
“Each year, thousands of exceptional young people apply, of all the applicants, you are the 100 Disney Dreamers chosen to be here,” Powell said. “Believe me, there’s a reason all of you are here. You have made the sacrifice to be here.”
After recognizing the dreamers’ parents and guardians in attendance, Powell asked everyone to watch a short video about the Disney Dreamers Academy program which featured previous classes. Another video of former Disney Dreamer and current Sr. Specialist, Communications Raevon Redding giving the roll call included photos and descriptions of the career goals of members of the class of 2024.
A judge of the Disney Dreamers applications, Powell spoke about reading the essays and said the process of selecting just 100 dreamers is daunting. She took a moment to thank the other judges, some of whom were in attendance during the hour-long welcome celebration.
Her co-host for the event was another former Disney Dreamer Academy (DDA), Princeton Parker. Other DDA alumni were also on hand to cheer on the latest class.
A powerful and inspiring performance of “Shadowland” from “The Lion King” by singer and actress Kissy Simmons followed. A mother of an 11-year-old daughter, a wife, and performer, Simmons’ advice to the dreamers was to “Just be grateful for what you have,” she said. “That’s the number one ingredient for life.”
When asked about the importance of mentorship, Simmons, who grew up in Floral City, Florida, a small town outside of Tampa, said she thought mentorship was important to everyone’s development, no matter their career choice and goals.
“All the time, you are being watched, she said. “It lets you know you are important, you are seen. So please always appreciate where you are.”
This year’s “DREAMbassador” and the grand marshall of the Disney Dreamers Academy parade is actress and singer Dara Renee. Last year’s DREAMbassador was actress and singer Halle Bailey.
Later that afternoon, a parade of Disney Dreamers made their way past thousands of well-wishers and park visitors at Magical Kingdom. The dreamers held signs representing the various states that they were from, but they also held signs that read “Courage”, “Constancy”, “Curiosity,” and “Confidence.”
Day 2: Living Your Dream
Education is a large part of what takes place during Disney Dreamers Academy week. For many of the dreamers, there is an opportunity to not only hear from some of their favorite actors, actresses, engineers, and celebrities but there is also a chance to receive direct mentorship for the career fields of their choice.
The Living Laboratories offers interactive career workshops that are led by Disney cast members and professionals. Along with workshops on Disney Imagineering, the culinary arts, law, marine biology, the film industry, and aerospace engineering, there was also a journalism lab.
The three dreamers who participated in the journalism lab were Ahlaysia Beasley, from Desoto, Texas, Eli Munoz, from Mesa, Arizona, and Julia Spencer, from San Antonio, Texas.
Their mentor for the three-hour session was Tony Weaver, Jr., a writer from Atlanta who began his writing journey with poetry. He later transitioned to writing for the stage. Weaver credited legendary playwright August Wilson as an early inspiration. Having been selected for an August Wilson monologue competition as a high school student, Weaver was sent to New York City to watch a reading of Wilson’s “Fences”, and was among a few students that Academy Award-winning actor Denzel Washington taught an impromptu acting class to.
“From that point on, I knew what I wanted to do with the rest of my life,” Weaver said. “I wanted to write stories that save people.”
Weaver believes stories can have a major impact on the way young people see themselves. “If you don’t figure out a way to tell the stories you want to tell sustainably, you won’t be able to tell them,” said Weaver, who also brought an advanced copy of his forthcoming book, “Weirdo” to show them. The opportunity to learn about how the publishing business and being an author works was not lost on the dreamers in attendance. Each of the dreamers had a chance to read a small description of what their writing goals were for Weaver to listen to and discuss with them.
“Some of the writing that you will be doing will not be creative,” Weaver explained. “As a writer, you have to have the discipline to do both.”
He advised the dreamers to be “authentically themselves” and that even though less than 6 percent of published authors Are Black and Hispanic, there is room for them in the literary world. Weaver recommended using social media to get their words out to the world. He also taught the dreamers about the three major publishing agencies in the country, the importance of the Publishers Weekly website, and doing research on the industry no matter what genre of writing they would like to pursue.
“As a writer, having an idea of the market you want to thrive in is a good way to succeed,” said Weaver.
Munoz and Beasley said they want to write fantasy fiction, while Spencer is interested in becoming a broadcast journalist and/or a children’s author.
One of the questions Beasley asked Weaver was whether she could have a self-published book instead of dealing with the major publishing houses. Weaver explained how much each book cost and the fact that most independent books don’t sell more than 5,000 copies.
“Even if I drove around the corner, it’s hard to carry around a thousand books,” Weaver said. “If we sell 1,500 books, and we’re making $8 per book, then you subtract the work you put in, essentially the numbers don’t get to the place where it’s sustainable.”
He added, “If you have that dog in you, then independent publishing can be for you.”
Weaver also recommended acting classes for better public speaking. “You need to have confidence in what you’re doing,” he said.
Following the session, Weaver was asked what he enjoyed most about talking to young authors in the making. “I think youthful dreams and ambitions are really valuable and should be protected,” he said.
Day 3: ‘Make Yourself Known’
Cameryn Polk bounded into the sunny outdoor space where her Saturday morning interview was scheduled to take place. A cheerleader, track and field athlete, and cross-country runner at Elite Scholars Academy in Clayton County, she could be the living and breathing example of Disney Dreamers Academy energy.
Polk is planning to attend Denison University, a private liberal arts college in Granville, Ohio, in the fall following graduation from Elite Scholars. The electricity that Polk gives off comes from her five years as a cheerleader, and she said she used that experience to help her with the Disney Dreamers Academy interviews and panels.
Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice
“During cheer you have to learn how to use your voice because you are surrounded by a whole bunch of girls who already have that powerful voice and already have that character in them,” Polk said. “So you have to make yourself known.”
During her time at the Disney Dreamers Academy, Polk has used those skills to make herself known. “You have to find yourself, you have to make yourself known, it helps you get your voice heard and shine your light amongst a bunch of other stars.”
Part of the Disney Dreamers Academy experience has always included interviews with media members from across the country. Along with The Atlanta Voice, reporters and editors from other Black-owned and operated publications, such as The Dallas Weekly, Amsterdam News, and The Charlotte Post, interviewed the Dreamers about their experiences this week.
Despite never having taken part in anything like this, Polk said she wasn’t nervous. Her years of competing in front of crowds have prepared her for this unique and special experience. “Everyone here has made themselves a part of a community where you feel like you’re comfortable with them, like you have known them before. Disney Dreamers Academy has really been like a family-oriented process.”
Polk says she has just “been herself” and taken in all of the sights and sounds of Disney World. She told The Atlanta Voice that she didn’t necessarily prepare for what was to come at the Disney Dreamers Academy, she just was her authentic self.
“If they wanted me I had to just come and show up,” she explained. “I have gotten a lot of resourceful advice, basically, we are here, we’re in the moment and we need to make sure we leave a legacy.”
Polk wants to return as a Disney Dreamers Academy ambassador. “I hope so,” she said with a smile.
A pair of other Dreamers, Bengina Amponsah and Hannah Dennis, are also soaking up the experience. Both are also from Georgia, and the young ladies are at the opposite ends of their high school journeys. Amponsah is a senior, and Dennis is a freshman; both are Disney Dreamers with very lofty goals for the future. Amponsah said she wants to be an astronaut one day, but also has interest in becoming a CEO. Dennis wants to one day become a commercial airline pilot and through this academy had the opportunity to talk to Delta Air Lines pilots. She also has an interest in psychology.
“So far my experience has been absolutely amazing, I’ve met new people, and people with amazing careers,” Dennis said.
Amponsah said she has “loved meeting new friends” and during her Living Laboratory experience she met Lanny Smoot, a Disney research fellow and legendary Disney Imagineer.
“I have always wanted to be an inventor growing up, so meeting him was really cool, because I didn’t know inventors still exist today,” Amponsah said. She isn’t sure where she is going to college in the fall, but has applied to numerous in-state colleges, including Kennesaw State University, the University of Georgia, and Valdosta State University.
Asked how they prepared for four days of Disney Dreamers Academy life, both Amponsah and Dennis said they approached this opportunity more like a discussion and less like an interview.
“Honestly, I didn’t really prepare, I am just taking in everything,” said Dennis.
Amponsah agreed. She just wanted to tell her story to whomever was willing to hear it. “I think it’s just better that the adults that I have been speaking to are curious about my journey and where I want to go,” Amponsah explained. “Since I know what that is and how clear that is, I think having that defined for yourself helps you.”
Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice
Hollis Mason used his many years on the soccer pitches around metro Atlanta to help him while he was at Disney Dreamers Academy. Having played soccer since he was four-years-old, Mason understands what it takes to be a part of a team. He said he has found several new teammates during the four-day academy.
“I didn’t expect to meet so many cool people,” Mason said. “I have so many new friends.” Mason explained that he plans to keep in touch with many of the people he met during the academy. Admitting that he was shy as a child, sports broke him out of that bubble. As a player with Southern Soccer Academy Under 16 team, Mason, an honor student and member of his school’s Model UN, plays at a high level and has to trust his teammates in order to achieve success, so working in groups at the Disney Dreamers Academy was familiar territory. As a second-year news reporter on his school’s newspaper, The Westminster Bi-Line, Mason recognized that he was on the other side of the story during the week.
Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice
“I had to step out of my comfort zone,” he said.
Mason, who turns 16 in July, had advice to students that are thinking about applying for the Disney Dreamers Academy Class of 2025: Do it.
“Apply because this is an amazing opportunity to nurture your own dreams and you want to surround yourself with ambitious people,” Mason said.
Day 4: ‘I Belong Here’
The final day of Disney Dreamers Academy always culminates with a commencement ceremony and this year’s class was presented with a little something extra to go with their farewell. The Class of 2024 was given class rings.
Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice
This year’s Dreamer of the Year was David Lopez, who was gifted with a trip for four to Disney World Resorts courtesy of Delta Air Lines.
There were also a number of performances, including by Samara Cyn, a recording artist that originally hails from Tennessee, who after performing two songs gave the Dreamers a positive affirmation.
“You are the energy that breaks generational curses,” she said.
Fubu founder and Shark Tank star Daymond John also gave a few words of advice to the Dreamers. He spoke to the Dreamers about being a diagnosed dyslexic, and having to start from the bottom of the fashion world before reaching his current status. “We all have the same 24 hours in the day,” he said.