Out of some 25,000 applicants, junior Matthew Aldana was one of the 100 high school students to be selected for the Disney Dreamers Academy. The four day program, held at Walt Disney World in Orlando, seeks to provide exceptional young people, especially those from underrepresented backgrounds, with valuable learning experiences within their areas of career interest— giving them the opportunities, knowledge, and guidance they need to achieve their goals.

Students in the program have a wide array of interests and career goals, and professionals of all kinds are present throughout the experience to share their expertise. For Aldana, who is interested in a mechanical engineering career, this means working with Imagineers, engineers employed by Disney that combine their skills with imagination. 

“[A lot of the program] is essentially mentorship,” Aldana said. “There are these things called Deep Dives, which are the main meat of the program, where they sort you into a bunch of groups based on career interests and they help you develop that. So for example, we are going to be able to work with actual Imagineers to gain skills that they use when designing a ride, and there are also topics like business, theatrical acting, cooking, law, arts, and social justice [that are] touched upon in the Deep Dives.”

Those in the program will not only leave with skills specific to certain careers, but also with tools to navigate the professional world. 

“[The program will] be a really good boost, not only for my resume, but just for the experience in general,” Aldana said. “They actually give you job interview [practice]; they [teach you] how to dress well for it, they teach you how to interview, and considering my disability status, it’s going to be helpful.” 

As a person on the autism spectrum, Aldana says that developing these skills can be critical in finding success in professional fields, and the necessary support is often behind a barrier, rendering it inaccessible to many. 

“A reason I want to do this [is because] my chances of having a future in STEM are just astronomically low,” Aldana said. “Only 8% of people on the spectrum with a STEM degree are actually employed, and I believe it is also less than 10% for people of Latino descent.”

Aldana not only aspires to be an Imagineer but also an advocate for social justice. The Disney Dreamers Academy serves as an opportunity for development in this regard as well. 

“Latinos everywhere, but especially [in] Shorewood, are brutally underrepresented, and for autism that goes even more,” Aldana said. “Knowing that I’m able to have this opportunity to speak out and have some sort of public presence … I want to speak out for not only autistic people in STEM, but for the Latino community in STEM.” 

Aldana is inspired by other members of the program, many of whom he has already gotten in contact with on social media. 

“A lot of these people are genuinely incredible,” Aldana said. “Some of these people are running full nonprofits. There are some people that are straight up social justice changers. [One participant] was able to get an idea for a law to the government in his state. There are a lot of people who are running businesses, people who are just doing a lot of stuff on their own with their own interests, but also being a pillar of the community themselves.”

Aldana says that connecting with his fellow Disney Dreamers is an exciting aspect of the program, as the stay at Disney World can create a unique bonding experience. 

“[Disney Dreamers Academy] allows everyone to have a great social opportunity,” Aldana said. “Also, everything is essentially free, as the contest prize includes a five day stay at a Disney World hotel, including park admission for four days, so after the Deep Dives you get to go to the parks. You’re split up into groups and that is all free, so it’s really exciting to be able to do that.” 

Above all, Aldana hopes the program will allow him to move past the barriers he has faced throughout his life from others and advance in his pursuit of a STEM career. 

“Especially for people with multiple disabilities, a lot of people think that a person is defined by their disability,” Aldana said. “This is an opportunity for me to prove that I am more than my disabilities, I am more than just my labels; I am me.”