Ashley Shirey loves all things Disney. The Summerwood Elementary School kindergarten teacher has taken her passion to the level of decorating her entire kindergarten classroom modeled after Disney World Parks.
What better way then to ignite a student’s imagination than to theme your classroom inspired by Disney?
In her classroom, every Disney World park is a different section. Epcot is the STEAM area; Hollywood Studios is where the students write and create their own stories; Animal Kingdom is where the students step into a treehouse and explore different books; Magic Kingdom is their iPlay station (imagination play), where students use their imagination to play and learn how to work together; Blizzard Beach is where students can explore their emotions and finally Disney Cruise Ships (book boats) where students can sit in their ship to read or work.
“After adding all of this to my classroom, I have seen more engagement and enjoyment in learning,” Shirey said. “The kids get so excited about going to their stations in these areas, and it takes no convincing to do their work. I have seen them come up with so many creative things on their own, such as puppet shows over books read, making their own stories, creating their own cartoon characters and more.”
This creativity and imagination that Shirey has brought to her curriculum is one of the reasons she was selected as one of 100 educators in the country to attend the Disney Imagination Campus at Disneyland Resort in California last week.
“It’s a dream come true really!,” Shirey said. “I have always loved Disney, and when I became a teacher I wanted my classroom to be the Disney World/Land of all classrooms. A place where all students feel welcomed, loved and to be as creative and imaginative as possible.”
According to a news release from Disney, Shirey was selected out of a pool of more than 7,900 applicants. She is one of just six educators from the State of Texas to be chosen.
“The teachers chosen demonstrated the spirit of creativity and imagination in their classrooms to inspire students and play a key role in shaping the minds of America’s future leaders,” according to the release.
As a part of the weekend, Shirey was honored along with the other educators chosen in a celebratory cavalcade down Main Street, U.S.A. and took part in a Disney Imagination Campus workshop experience, learning sessions led by Disney leaders and Imagineers and other special entertainment experiences.
Last year, as a part of Walt Disney World Resort’s 50th anniversary, the Disney Imagination Campus honored 50 teachers across the nation. This year, the number grew to 100 to coincide with the Walt Disney Company’s 100th anniversary celebration and to recognize National Teacher Appreciation Week.
Shirey applied for the program last year and when she saw it was happening again in 2023, she knew she wanted to apply again.
“I applied back in December and found out at the end of March that I had won,” Shirey said. “I didn’t believe it at first and was scared to click on any links, thinking it was a phishing scam. I kept telling myself it wasn’t real so I wouldn’t be as upset when I found out it wasn’t, but then I looked into it more and did some research and I filled out the information and it was real. I was so excited I cried, and I’m not a big crier.”
As Shirey returns this week from her weekend at Disneyland Resort, she reflects on her time spent learning from a place that has impacted her and her students in a magical way.
“I loved getting to participate in some of the different Imagination Campus workshops. We got to do scavenger hunts in the park to build teamwork, engineer new coasters, create our own Harmonious show, design new theme parks, and so much more! Then, to be a part of the parade where you had people cheering and thanking us as we passed by, was a once in a lifetime experience! I was so excited to not only represent myself, but all the teachers I had growing up and Humble ISD.”
Shirey hopes to start an Imagineer Club at her school, and maybe one day, take students to one of the Disney Parks to experience the programs themselves.
