If you look behind the scenes of Walt Disney World Resort, there are quite a few forces that help to bring our magic to life. In addition to our incredible cast, countless other forces help to create innovative and unforgettable experiences for our guests, including science, technology, engineering and mathematics—otherwise known as STEM.
STEM plays a huge role in magic-making for us, which is why we are so excited to share that the next two local nonprofit organizations to be #GrantedByDisney with a total of $200,000 will use their 2019 Disney Grants to introduce and expand STEM-focused educational opportunities to local youth.
The Orlando Science Center will put their $100,000 Disney Grant toward bringing their Head Start program, which introduces STEM concepts to preschool-aged learners, to the classrooms of more than 50 local educators. The outstanding people behind the program were recently celebrated as Grand Marshals before the Festival of Fantasy Parade at Magic Kingdom Park, where we all shared in the power of magic—and STEM—together.
And PACE Center for Girls, an organization dedicated to shaping the futures of young girls through education, counseling, training and advocacy, will use their $100,000 Disney Grant to bring a new, experiential learning program into their Orange and Polk County learning centers. To celebrate, the girls were treated to a unique learning opportunity led by passionate Disney leaders who visited their classrooms to talk about their own journeys into the STEM industry. And they even had a surprise visit from Doctor Minnie!
Together with these amazing organizations, we will be able to continue igniting the imaginations of our local youth by introducing them to the power of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
Stay tuned to see which organization will be #GrantedByDisney next.