To mark National Teacher Appreciation Day today, Disney Imagination Campus is revealing the 50 inspiring teachers from across the nation who will be the guests of honor for a magical celebration of America’s education heroes at the Walt Disney World Resort in late May.
What’s Happening:
- When they arrive at Walt Disney World during Memorial Day Weekend, the 50 elementary, middle and high school teachers will be treated to special entertainment experiences in the parks, a celebratory parade at Magic Kingdom and inspiring sessions led by Disney leaders, Disney Imagineers and a Broadway performer.
- The 50 teachers, who come from 32 different states, were selected from more than 5,800 written applications that centered on the creativity and imagination they each demonstrate in their classrooms on a regular basis.
- Many of the selected teachers incorporate various types of classroom transformations into their curriculum, creating vibrant and imaginative worlds that spark the minds of students. And all of them have positively impacted the lives of their students and, in some cases, changed the trajectory of their futures.
- For instance, a California teacher’s classroom transformations have included an escape room and a New Year’s Eve ball-drop event. A teacher in Indiana has transformed her classroom into an interactive version of the Titanic. And an Arizona teacher is reaching her students who come from different socioeconomic backgrounds by creating a classroom competition in which students pitch mock business ideas to school administrators and fellow students.
- Disney Imagination Campus offers educational experiences for visiting student groups at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida as well as the Disneyland Resort in California. The collection of interactive workshops, performances and special events involve a variety of subjects, including performing arts, science, technology, arts, humanities, leadership and innovation. These programs are specially created to harness beloved Disney franchises, Disney Imagineering and Disney Live Entertainment in ways that inspire the next generation of creative thinkers.
- In creating the curriculum, Disney incorporated industry trends and collaborated with a cross section of teachers, plus drew on its extensive experience in youth education, which ultimately led to a hands-on approach to learning and an imagination-powered curriculum that emphasizes key performance criteria as well as the critical skills students need to succeed in today’s world, such as leadership, confidence, creative problem-solving and teamwork.
- The Disney Imagination Campus curriculum also leverages a new collaboration with learning & engagement platform Kahoot! to make interactive quizzes available to teachers for select Disney Imagination Campus experiences. Kahoot!, which has engaged seven billion non-unique participants since 2013, empowers learners of all ages to learn through play with its live games, study tools and millions of ready-to-use kahoots, courses and other resources.
What They’re Saying:
- Javier Moreno, a senior vice president at Disney Destinations, said: “Teachers are among our country’s greatest resources, and their educational artistry and dexterity were never more evident than during the pandemic. These 50 teachers, along with thousands of other educators around the country, deserve to be celebrated for their continued efforts to inspire our nation’s children through the imagination-powered learning philosophy that is at the core of our Disney Imagination Campus.”
- Charles Thomas, Director, Disney Imagination Campus, said: “These teachers and so many others are really next-level educators. They are supercharging the imaginations of young minds every day in ways that are driving their career ambitions in directions that they probably never thought were possible.”
- Rachel Posteraro, a teacher selected from Anaheim, CA, creatively uses dance to teach physical education for students with disabilities. “I’m a huge Disney fan and I can’t wait for the day to be surrounded by other educators and to learn and to grow at the Disney Imagination Campus 50 Teachers Celebration.”
- Orlando area teacher Stacey Foskey was selected for her imaginative and immersive classroom transformations. This creative thinker said she is especially excited to be among the 50 selected teachers because of her love for Disney. “To see my kids fully engaged and enjoy learning brings a smile to my face and reminds me why I began teaching. When I found out I won the Disney Imagination Campus 50 Teachers Celebration, I was shocked! I’m excited to learn from other educators, and I’m excited to visit the Disney Imagination Campus.”
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