Disney used Earth Day on April 22, 2026, to spotlight 10 young people from across the United States whose conservation projects are making a measurable impact in their communities, while also tying the announcement to the 30th anniversary of the Disney Conservation Fund.
According to The Walt Disney Company, the winners were selected through Jane Goodall’s Roots & Shoots USA as part of the “Hop into the Animal Kingdom Challenge,” which was launched alongside Disney and Pixar’s upcoming film Hoppers and the Disney Conservation Fund anniversary campaign. Disney said the winners will be invited to Walt Disney World Resort later in 2026 for a 30th anniversary finale celebration and youth summit focused on conservation, collaboration, and hands-on animal experiences.
What Disney Announced for the Winners
Disney said the 10 winners will receive travel and lodging for the Walt Disney World event, plus a grant from Roots & Shoots to either continue an existing project or help launch a new one. The company also said the students will be invited to help select future Roots & Shoots projects for grant support.
Mary Ford, vice president of Jane Goodall’s Roots & Shoots USA, said the winners were chosen for the way they demonstrate purpose, resilience, compassion, community, and agency through work that supports animals and habitats.
Projects Range From Pollinators to Plastic Cleanup
The list covers multiple regions and a wide range of conservation work. In the Eastern Region, Angela Butz of New Jersey was recognized for planting native species to support pollinators and biodiversity, while Jack Dalton of Massachusetts was highlighted for youth education work tied to orangutan conservation.
In the Southeastern Region, Shea Polley of Florida was recognized for a sea turtle awareness project that also supports children and families facing medical challenges, and Destiny Joy Sagay of Georgia was honored for cleaning plastic waste near a lake used by the local community.
Other winners include Marlee Christiansen of Illinois for bird-safe building advocacy and bat habitat work, William Tan of Minnesota for a smart artificial reef project, Cash Daniels of Tennessee for shark awareness efforts, Ethan Park of Texas for prairie restoration, Nateli Sanderson of Washington for orca and salmon habitat work, and Ray Schaffer of California for a youth wildlife coexistence initiative.
Why This Fits Disney’s Bigger Earth Month Push
The company framed the announcement as part of its broader Disney Planet Possible and Earth Month storytelling effort. Disney said the Disney Conservation Fund has now positively impacted more than 20 million people through youth education, community nature programs, storytelling, and other conservation-related efforts.
This is not a major theme park operations update, but it does give Disney another Earth Day story with a Walt Disney World tie-in through the upcoming youth summit.
Shark Take: This one is more corporate than ride-news, but the Walt Disney World event angle and the named youth projects give it enough substance to stand as a clean Earth Day post.
Source: The Walt Disney Company
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