Disney Dreamers Academy Essay Contest
The Schwab Foundation worked with Disney to bring a new, exciting experience to high school students in northeast Indiana. The Disney Dreamers Academy is offering an opportunity for students to participate in their 2012 Disney Dreamers Academy. One hundred winners will be selected to attend the workshop. As one of the winners of the contest, that student will be part of an immersive four-day program at the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida in March 2012. The Schwab Foundation partnered with Disney to fund the communication effort in this area.
What exactly happens at the Disney Dreamers Academy?
An all-star lineup of entertainment and sports figures, motivational speakers and world-class business professionals headlines more than 20 personalized and interactive “Deep Dive” educational workshops that allow the students to become fully immersed in various career experiences.
Students are required to complete three essays answering these three questions:
Essay I Question: If you were asked by Steve Harvey to tell your story, what would your story be?
Essay II Question: Describe an experience or person in your life that had a big impact on you. Discuss the experience and how it has affected your goals for the future. Describe how you would be different if this experience or person was not a part of your life.
Essay III Question: What are your dreams after high school? How will Disney’s Dreamers Academy help to make those dreams come true?
Schwab funded informational packets that were given to area high schools in Allen, Adams, DeKalb, Huntington, Noble, Wells and Whitley counties. Packets were also given to several non-profits that serve high school youth. The essays were due to Disney by October 31. Winners will be announced in December. We eagerly wait to hear whether a NE Indiana student was selected as one of the 100 essay contest winners.
CyberPatriot Cyber Defense Competition
The Foundation funded participation opportunities for Northeast Indiana in the CyberPatriot National High School Cyber Defense Competition. CyberPatriot is the premier national high school cyber defense competition created to inspire high school students toward careers in cybersecurity or other science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines. The competition was conceived by the Air Force Association, and national outreach was made possible by Northrop Grumman.
The Foundation partnered with the NE IN Air Force Association Chapter to visit area high schools to explain the competition and sign up teams. Five teams are representing NE Indiana:
- Anthis Career Center - Allen County
- Auburn Cadet Squadron (Civil Air Patrol) - DeKalb County
- Bellmont High School in Decatur - Adams County
- Garrett High School - DeKalb County
- The Howe School (Army Junior ROTC) - LaGrange County
Throughout October and November, online competition was held. The final Championship round will be held in Washington, D.C. in March 2012. We are hopeful that NE Indiana teams will be invited to the finals.
CyberPatriot Update- February 2, 2012
“Eighteen Northeast Indiana high school students participated in this school year’s Air Force Association CyberPatriot IV competition, due to the leadership and generosity provided by the Schwab Foundation. Our region’s four teams performed well for their first year in the competition. A total of sixteen Indiana teams competed this year and Park Tudor High School, in the open division, advanced to Round Three. Members of the Fort Wayne chapter of the Air Force Association (AFA) are exceptionally pleased that four teams from Northeast Indiana competed in CyberPatriot IV, and we would like to expand the number of teams next year.”
Paul A. Lyons
President, Air Force Association