SCPS Gets Schooled at Walt Disney World

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – Nearly eighty Savannah Christian Preparatory School students and family members traveled to the Walt Disney World Resort recently to learn about making a little Disney "magic." Students in the group took part in the Disney Youth Education Series Program (Y.E.S.) “Disney's Production Arts & Sciences.”

A broad spectrum of SCPS 3rd through 12th graders divided into three groups that traversed the Disney/MGM Studios theme park with a Disney Y.E.S. professional learning about pre-production, production, and post-production as it relates to dramas, musicals, moviemaking, theme park rides, and more. The three-hour program included on-the-street, on-set acting and shooting still storyboard frame shots; a storyboarding history, ride and review of The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror^TM; lessons and activities in advertising, marketing and public relations; and a group presentation to a “producer” in an effort to get the green light for financing and production of each group’s proposed film.

“I really enjoyed the trip and learning more about the Tower of Terror^TM,” said Haunna Connelly. “It was really fun to see how it worked and especially how much it cost to build.” The tower is 199 feet tall (just under the 200 foot FCA regulation limit that would require a red beacon affixed to the top as an air traffic warning) and cost $140,000,000 to build.

Each year, groups from around the world travel to Walt Disney World to take part in one of the several Disney Y.E.S. programs offered throughout the Resort. Most of the programs take place in and behind the scenes of the world famous Theme Parks. “(We) were so pleased at the enthusiasm that Brayley and Anna had after the class,” wrote Lou Stewart. “They actually learned something and retained it in the midst of all that fun!”

Areas of Y.E.S. program study include career discovery, life management, physical science, natural science, history, art and humanities. The programs use the varied resources on stage and backstage to bring real world examples to the learning experience.

In addition to the actual program, trip participants enjoyed three nights at Disney’s All-Star Music Resort and a three-day pass to all four Disney Orlando theme parks – Animal Kingdom, Disney/MGM Studios, EPCOT, and The Magic Kingdom.

A number of parents and grandparents enjoyed the trip with their students. “We had a wonderful time,” says Stacy Blahove. “We're ready to do it again next year!”

Vivian Willis writes that her daughter “was in a group that had a wide variety of ages and she could not stop talking about the program all day. She also talked about how nice all the children were in her group and how much fun she had being with older and younger people.”

SCPS alumnus, parent and 2nd grade teacher Page Sellers summed the trip up this way, “We had so much fun and made memories that will last a lifetime.”

For more information on Disney Y.E.S. Programs, visit www.DisneyYES.com or call 800-603-0552.