By Haley Mitchell Godwin

In a bid to provide students with enriched learning experiences and broader career awareness, the Crenshaw County Board of Education (CCBOE) has launched Success Quest, a series of immersive trips aimed at exposing students to various career paths and life experiences. 

Made possible through a grant from the Alabama State Department of Education, the inaugural trip took a group of 19 students to Orlando, Florida, where they delved into the world of career opportunities through Disney’s Access Quest leadership program.

Under the supervision of Career Technical Education Director Ashley Catrett, Crenshaw County Schools Education Specialist Kris Odom and others, the students embarked on a journey that went beyond the thrills of theme park rides. Students actively engaged in a leadership course titled “Leadership, the Disney Way” where they applied Disney’s five keys—safety, courtesy, inclusion, show and efficiency—to their daily assignments, gaining practical experience in real-world settings and learning invaluable insights into fields such as horticulture, animal care, and hospitality.

“It was a huge honor for these students to be selected to be able to make the trip, and be able to look at these various careers and learn what it takes to make Disney tick,” said Catrett. “Anybody can buy a ticket and walk through the front gate of Disney and have the fun part, but our kids actually got to go in employee only areas where no pictures or videos or even phones were allowed, and be side by side Disney employees.”

Students participated in the Behind the Seeds tour where they learned about the future of agriculture. The tour took place inside the same greenhouses and hydroponic labs that houses the Epcot attraction Living with the Land, a boat ride that focuses on educating park visitors on sustainable farming. Led by expert guides, students witnessed innovative techniques in action, from aquaponics to vertical farming. 

Similarly, the Caring for Giants tour offered students a rare opportunity to venture behind the scenes of the Kilimanjaro Safaris attraction, where they learned about the care and conservation efforts dedicated to the park’s majestic elephants. Led by knowledgeable guides, students gained insights into elephant behavior, habitat preservation, and the challenges faced in protecting endangered species. 

Among the students selected for this enriching experience was Kendal Nichols, a senior at Brantley High School, who expressed gratitude for the opportunity. 

“I am so grateful for this opportunity to go and learn about the behind the scenes at Disney,” Nichols said. “What a great experience it was! The trip was valuable to me because I made new friends while away and was able to learn about behind the scenes parts of Disney. We also were able to get familar with jobs 

 

you wouldn’t think about being at Disney. 

The experiences of Success Quest-Orlando have set the stage for the next adventure: a trip to Washington, D.C. Open to rising juniors and seniors interested in public service, social sciences, government, military, history or arts.

Applications for the Washington, D.C. trip were accepted from March 6 to March 15, and up to three student leaders per school will be selected to participate.