On March 6, dreamers from all over the country met for the first time in Disney World for a life-changing opportunity. There they entered a program that provides young people with the steps they need to achieve their goals. This four-day trip of speeches and meet-and-greets with professionals was the Disney Dreamers Academy.

Out of more than 8,000 applicants from across the country, only 100 are selected. One of those bright students was North Atlanta sophomore Adenike Makinde. She went through many stages of application to finally received notification that she and her mother, Donna Ennis, would receive an all-expense paid trip to Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida.

At the park she met other high-school students who shared her same ambitious academic and social aspirations. While the parents were busy riding Space Mountain, the “dreamers” spent the day being coached within several tracks that included entrepreneurship and business skills, animation, culinary arts and many more. These classes have brought Makinde one-step closer to her dream of being a successful real-estate developer.

Steve Harvey and Essence Magazine host the nine-year-old program. It features speeches from professionals from many occupational fields. Besides the message of “unlocking your potential and dreaming big,” the academy emphasizes the importance of strong life connections. Students shared contact information with the professionals and each other to stay in touch year round. Makinde expressed that the networking aspect was her favorite part because she now knows people from across the country and still hangs out with academy alums from Atlanta.

In the end, the goal of the program is to inspire and that’s exactly how Makinde feels. With her newfound skills and “just do it” attitude she’s ready to take on the world. “Now I try not to push things off because I’m empowered to be greater than the accomplishments I have already made,” she said. “You don’t have to wait until college to start working toward your future and your dreams.”