Wordful Wednesday: D.C. Queens and Disney's Princess Tiana deliver Positive Message to Young Scholars
Last Thursday, four of Washington’s most successful and inspiring women served as panelists at Excel Academy Public Charter School. It is the district’s first public charter school for girls which provides an enriched academic experience for bright, ambitious young girls in the one of the region’s most underserved areas. The motivating factor behind this event was due largely to Feld Entertainment’s newest production, Disney on Ice presents Dare to Dream!, which goes beyond the traditional “fairy tale” theme and encourages young girls to overcome adversity and challenges in order to reach their goals. Panelists answered student questions and offered advice on making good decisions, facing stereotypes and defining one’s own sense of self.
The overall message from the panelists: “never take no for an answer – if you work hard, you will be successful.”
About the Panelists and Special Guests
Juliette Feld is the Dir., Strategic Planning of Feld Entertainment, a family business. Producers of Ringling Bros., Monster Jam, Disney On Ice, Supercross, Nuclear Cowboyz & more!
Debra Lee is the Chief Executive Officer of BET Networks, a cable channel that reaches 90 million households around the world. She is a graduate of Brown University, earned a Master’s Degree from Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government, and law degree at the Harvard School of Law.
Laura Evans is an Emmy-winning journalist and an anchor for FOX 5 News. Laura earned a Bachelor of Arts degree with a double major in American Studies and Spanish from the University of San Diego – and has reported on some of the biggest news events in recent history – including a live report from the Pentagon on September 11 in 2001.
Dr. Rhonique Harris is an executive and a medical director at Children’s National Medical Center. A pediatrician who has worked in DC for more than a decade, Dr. Harris received her medical degree from the University Of Maryland School Of Medicine. But before that, she attended an all-girls school, and I’m sure she has lots to share about how that experience, like yours, is something she will always treasure.
Kaye Savage may already be a familiar face to you, but did you know that before founding Excel Academy, Ms. Savage began her career as a special education teacher and even worked in the White House on the Historical Black College and Universities Initiative? Ms. Savage has a long history of advancing education opportunities for students like you in the Washington D.C. area. She is alumna of Howard University and the University of Southern California.
About Feld Entertainment:
Feld Entertainment is the worldwide leader in producing and presenting live touring family entertainment experiences that lift the human spirit and create indelible memories, with 30 million people in attendance at its shows each year. Feld Entertainment's productions have appeared in more than 70 countries on six continents and include Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey®, Feld Motor Sports, Disney On Ice and Disney
About Excel Academy Public Charter School:
Excel Academy Public Charter School provides pre-school through eighth grade girls a solid academic foundation and enrichment opportunities to prepare them to succeed in high school and college and to develop the skills and confidence they need to make healthy, positive lifestyle choices through a unique single-sex learning environment.
Disclosure Information
There was no monetary compensation for writing this post. I received complimentary tickets to Feld Entertainment's Disney on Ice Presents Dare to Dream! The opinion and views are my own.
