Disney Cruise Line Salutes Earth Day by Honoring the Winners of Disney's Environmentality Challenge in Grand Cayman
(April 21, 2009) Disney Cruise Line honored the top prize winners of Disney’s EnvironmentalityTM Challenge (DEC) educational program today in an awards ceremony aboard the Disney Magic cruise ship. Taking place during a weeklong celebration of Earth Day, the event showcased local students’ contributions to promote conservation and protect the environment.
Students honored at the celebration were winners of the 2008-2009 DEC class project competition and are part of teachers Willean Hill and Tasha Miller’s Year 6 class from George Town Primary School on Grand Cayman.
Through their project titled “Environmental Stewardship Programme,” students created an informational brochure with environmental tips, translating it into several languages for distribution to fellow students, local residents and tourists visiting the Cayman Islands. They also organized a beach cleanup to rid the shoreline of debris and litter and created their own George Town Primary environmental blog to keep the community informed of their progress. Throughout the program, the group explored environmental issues by combining classroom subjects such as math, science and language arts in addition to educating and engaging the local community.
“Disney Cruise Line is proud to salute this week’s international celebration of Earth Day by honoring these extraordinary children,” said Mark Witko, Disney Cruise Line Community and Government Relations Manager. “Our cast and crew members are dedicated to supporting ongoing environmental conservation, and these students have inspired us to always keep looking for new ways to make a positive impact.”
Witko, along with Captain Tom Forberg and crew members of the Disney Magic, welcomed the students aboard for the special ceremony, congratulating them on their achievements. After taking part in a special ceremony, the students were presented their awards by Jiminy Cricket, the official “Spokes-cricket” for Environmentality.
Disney’s Environmentality Challenge
Disney’s Environmentality Challenge is sponsored through a relationship with Disney Cruise Line and the Cayman Islands Department of Tourism, Department of Education and Department of the Environment. The two-part DEC program consists of an environmental pledge and class project competition. To date, more than one million students worldwide have taken the DEC challenge.
The program was created by The Walt Disney Company in 1994 to encourage students to think and act environmentally – at school, at home and in their local communities. Starting at Disneyland in California, it has been expanded to include students in Central Florida, Hong Kong and, with Disney Cruise Line, in the Caribbean.
For more information on the program or for more details on this year’s winning projects visit the DEC website at www.deckids.org.
Disney Cruise Line Environmental Programs
With an environmental legacy that spans more than 60 years, The Walt Disney Company is dedicated to preserving the planet for future generations. In doing so, the Company is committed to minimizing its overall impact while at the same time using its influence to inspire environmentally responsible behavior in others.
The DEC program is just one of the ways Disney Cruise Line seeks to be a positive environmental partner. Cast and crew members assist with separating and processing 405 tons of cans, bottles and other recyclables each year. Annual volunteer coastal cleanups remove an additional three tons of garbage and debris from shorelines each year, while other company programs promote waste minimization and global conservation efforts.
Guests sailing onboard Disney Cruise Line ships have the opportunity to contribute to the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund (DWCF), which helps to raise needed funds and awareness for conservation programs, scientific research and habitat protection around the globe. To date, the fund has distributed over $12 million in grants to support more than 750 wildlife projects in 110 countries worldwide.
Disney’s Environmentality Challenge Champions -- Year 6, George Town Primary School
Teachers: Willean Hill & Tasha Miller
Principal: Marie Martin
Aleks Beckford Olden Bodden
Jesper Borrozo Vania Cornwall
Amorya Crawford Michael Douglas
Davian Durant Leo Ebanks
Mylika General Dennis Harris
Serena Hooker Finigan Huffington
Ashly Jacaban Aaliyah Kelly
Cameron Marnoch Dylan McLaughlin
Joana McLean Jenessa Miller
Brittany Parsaligan Casandra Peralta
Daniel Rankine Diante Scott
Ryan Simpson Hasani Stewart
Arin Taylor Tyrik Taylor
Kayla Thompson Jade Wheeler
Jacob Wood Zachery Wright
-- Posted April 22, 2009