Experiment 626 is on the loose! To celebrate the end of the school year, Stitch went on a tour around Central Florida, surprising teachers at Hamilton Elementary, Deerwood Elementary, College Park Middle, Tavares Middle and North Lakeland Elementary.
In addition to a little mischief, the visits were filled with magic as teachers at each of the schools received Walt Disney World park tickets. Disney World also announced a new $500,000 donation that will help fund local education programs.
Disney’s donation will benefit The Foundation for Orange County Public Schools, The School District of Osceola County, Lake County Schools Foundation, Polk County Schools Foundation and Seminole County Schools Foundation, as well as four organizations supporting youth development: Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, Orlando Philharmonic, ELEVATE Orlando and A Gift for Teaching.
“We’re thrilled that Disney is making such a considerable donation to our education foundation,” said Fred Heid, Superintendent of Polk County Public Schools. “It’s exciting for me as the superintendent to be able to afford new opportunities for our students.”
In addition to these visits from Stitch, Disney Imagination Campus invited teachers and administrators from each school district for an exclusive day of Disney fun where they’ll have the chance to take inspiration from the living laboratory at EPCOT and bring it back to their classrooms.
“This means the world,” said Adam Cody, a Deerwood Elementary School teacher. “It’s amazing to get the recognition from our district and Disney. There really are no words to describe how special it makes us feel.”
Coincidentally, Adam worked at Walt Disney World as a monorail pilot before heading to college to become a teacher. He’s taught in Osceola County Public Schools for 25 years now and this visit from Disney helped bookend his career as an educator as he officially retired at the end of this school year.
With these visits underway, the summer fun has just begun! Disney World will soon host The World’s Largest Swimming Lesson at Typhoon Lagoon, collect school supplies for Florida students during the resort’s Back-To-School Supply Drive and more.