Disney Dreamers Academy has been the crown jewel of community commitment since 2008. Every year Disney Dreamers Academy, along with Steve Harvey and ESSENCE Magazine, gives 100 standout students from across the country the opportunity to enjoy an unforgettable experience as they live out their dreams at Walt Disney World Resort. This year, WHUR is proud to support four inspiring young high school students Kailin Frye, Caitlyn Lynch, Amari Mealy and Esha Venkat. We had a chance to meet them along with their families before they head off to Orlando, Florida March 12 through the 15th. Learn more about them here and check back often for more exciting news as we follow their dreams.

I am an 18-year old senior at Potomac High School in Dumfries, Virginia. I have been awarded a scholarship to attend Workforce Training after graduating high school in June 2020. I’m extremely excited to start career training to be a Special Education Teacher. I will then go on to college to complete my bachelor’s degree in education and start my journey to becoming the future United States Secretary of Education. I am a High School/All Star Cheerleader, a Girl Scout, a Delta Academy member, Assistant Cheer Coach, and a volunteer teacher assistant to Special Education students. I’m a Dreamer and my dream will come true by impacting other human being lives by teaching, guiding and leading others to their dreams.

I am a home-schooled senior from Hyattsville, Maryland. Homeschooling is a good option for me because it allows me to work at my own pace while eliminating the distractions of the standard high-school environment. Once I graduate early 2020, I plan to land an internship opportunity in a technology field. I will attend Howard University and the Fall of 2020 and acquire my bachelor’s degree in computer science and my master’s degree in computer science and artificial intelligence. I hope to one day be a successful machine learning engineer as well as explore entrepreneurship in the hair-care industry as a leisure activity. I believe that my ability to conquer challenges is limitless and my potential to succeed is infinite. With determination and motive on my side, I know I will not fail.

I am a 14 year old freshman at Hayfield Secondary School in Alexandria, VA where I serve as a member of our Food Pantry club, Blood Donors club, and on the finance committee in our Black Student Union. When I am not in school, I enjoy baking, dancing, writing, playing with my dog, and hanging out with friends. My main goal and philosophy in life is to help others and spread kindness throughout the world. I will forever work towards this goal as my dream is to be a fifth-grade teacher who teaches all of my students the joy of learning and change the stigma that is associated with careers in education because I believe that educating others is the most important profession.

I’m Esha V, a 14-year-old from Ashburn, Virginia. I’m the co-founder of NEST4US, a 501©3 nonprofit, with a mission to provide volunteer solutions to make the world better through kindness. In addition to being an honor roll student, I find time to play piano, earn my 2nd-degree black belt, dance hip-hop, and serve as the captain of my travel soccer team. I have over 4 years of volunteer service under my belt and have spent over 600 hours giving back to my community. My goal is to become a neurosurgeon and continue touching lives through my non-profit, NEST4US.