The last day of the Disney Dreamers Academy does not feel like an ending to the students who live through it. It feels like a beginning that nobody is quite ready to start.
On Saturday at Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, 100 high school students from across the country gathered for the Class of 2026 Celebration, the final chapter of a four-day program that has spent more than a decade turning selected teens into the next generation of leaders, creators, and professionals. The farewell was emotional, packed with performances and recognition and the particular weight of a room full of young people who know they are about to leave something that mattered.
A morning built around creativity
The day began at the Superpower Studio, where artist and illustrator Nikkolas Smith led the Dreamers through a session focused on designing original superheroes. The exercise was less about drawing and more about identity, asking each student to think about what makes them distinct and how that translates into something they can share with the world.
From there, the group moved into the Pitch Your Power Workshop, a creative networking challenge that brought motivational speaker Lisa Nichols into the room. Nichols pressed the students to examine their own potential and think seriously about the future they are building toward.
Authentic voices in the afternoon
The afternoon shifted to a panel called Confidence in Motion, framed around the Disney theme of joy as a source of power. Singer Dai Time, author Tony Weaver Jr. and dancers Jasmine Jennings and Nia Sioux each spoke about navigating social media, building a public presence, and staying grounded in who you are while doing it. For teenagers already growing up in a world where every post carries weight, the conversation landed close to home.
A commencement night with surprises
The evening commencement ceremony brought the full weight of the week into focus. Princeton Parker hosted, with keynote remarks from Lisa Nichols and Sivonne Davis, vice president of marketing and strategy at Walt Disney World. R&B singer-songwriter JayDon performed during the ceremony, giving the night a soundtrack to match its emotion.
Malia Baker, serving as the program’s DREAMbassador, addressed the graduating class with a message about connection. She told the students that the relationships formed during the academy were among the most valuable things they were taking home, and urged them to protect and nurture those bonds long after the trip ended.
Students recognized for standout achievements
The ceremony included several individual honors. Joshua Hayes was named Dreamer of the Year for his work amplifying underrepresented voices, and he and his family received an all-expense-paid vacation to Walt Disney World and a Disney Cruise.
Three students received $2,500 scholarships from Partners Federal Credit Union. Irene Pan, Clair Jefferson and Scott Lenfesty were each recognized for their accomplishments during the program. Birelle Taylor, from Brooklyn, earned a mentorship opportunity with TELETIES, and Kyla Decambree was selected for the National Geographic HBCU Immersion Program this summer.
The ceremony closed with a tradition that has become one of the program’s most recognized moments. Parents stepped forward to pin their children, a physical gesture marking what the students had earned and a quiet promise from both sides about what comes next.
What the program is
The Disney Dreamers Academy selects 100 high school students each year from thousands of applicants nationwide. Each participant attends with a parent or guardian, with all travel and accommodations covered. The four days at Walt Disney World are built around career workshops, professional networking, and direct access to speakers and mentors the students would rarely encounter in a traditional school setting.
For the Class of 2026, the week is over. The work, most of them seemed to understand, is just beginning.
