Disney’s Planet Challenge Winners Celebrate at Disneyland Resort

Last month, we shared the excitement of 30 young students from Zachary, La., who won a trip to the Disneyland Resort as the national elementary school grand prize winners in Disney’s Planet Challenge, the in-school program for Disney’s Friends for Change.

On Friday, we welcomed them with a special ceremony at Sleeping Beauty Castle and a parade down Main Street, U.S.A.

Ms. Rainey’s and Mrs. Gilpin’s second- and third-grade combination class was recognized for growing and replanting hundreds of plants to protect the wetlands ecosystem along the Grand Isle coast of Louisiana, an area that was affected by Hurricane Katrina and other recent storms. The class also wrote and published educational books to raise money for wetlands preservation and even created its own podcast.

The annual competition encourages third through eighth grade students to explore science and conservation while empowering them to make a positive impact on their communities. Over the program’s 16-year history, hundreds of students have created meaningful projects that protect our environment.

At this year’s recognition ceremony, Louisiana native Princess Tiana and other friends from Disney’s animated feature “The Princess and the Frog,” celebrated with the students.

To learn more about this year’s winning projects and how you can get involved with Disney’s Planet Challenge and Friends For Change, please visit disney.go.com/planetchallenge and disney.go.com/projectgreen.