Imagine the Disneyland Resort surprising you at your high school with thousands of dollars toward your college scholarship. For five students in Anaheim, California—the hometown of the Disneyland Resort—that dream came true last week!
Disneyland Resort Dreamers & Doers are high school students making a difference in their communities and schools. More than 250 students have been recognized by the Disneyland Resort for their positive actions, awarding them pay-it-forward grants and prizes ranging from theme park tickets to college scholarships.
The recipients of this year’s awards have led amazing projects or programs that have impacted their schools and communities in meaningful ways. The five students listed below earned the program’s top achievement of Luminary, and were awarded a $1,000 grant for their school, a $3,000 grant for a nonprofit of their choice and an $11,000 college scholarship!
- Vincent Tran of Magnolia High School developed the Vietnamese Student Association at his school to create a better experience for immigrant students with language and cultural barriers.
- Jasmine Nguyen of Canyon High School began a chapter of Junior State of America at her school to provide a safe place for students across the political spectrum to discuss opinions.
- Ben Tecker of Esperanza High School helped to create the Orange County High School E-sports League to foster friendship and provide fun learning opportunities for students interested in STEM.
- Nicole Garcia of Rosary Academy volunteers once a week in the Surgical Playroom of Children’s Hospital of Orange County, introducing fun, laughter, and excitement into the lives of young patients.
- Joseph Lou of Oxford Academy created a nonprofit called Boys’ Moods Matter to shed light on mental health issues affecting young men. Joseph also founded Teens Helping Teens, a peer-counseling group.
See their reactions to the prize patrol in this video!
