Bridgewater-Raritan High School students who are members are members of the National Arts Honor Society (NAHS) spent four days during Spring Break at the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida.
Adults, including Sarah Nassan, the Advisor of the National Arts Honor Society and an Art Teacher at Bridgewater-Raritan High School, accompanied the 27 NAHS students.
Marlene Morales, a Bridgewater-Raritan High School junior and the Historian for the NAHS, presented the following first-hand summary of this four-day trip to Florida.
For the first time in the history of the Bridgewater Raritan High School National Arts Honor Society (NAHS), students embarked on an unforgettable four-day adventure to Disney World during Spring Break.
The announcement of this exciting trip for the 2025 school year came as a delightful surprise from high school Art Teacher Sarah Nasson at the 2024 banquet, sparking enthusiasm and anticipation among the students.
Ms. Nasson planned this trip for the dedicated members of NAHS, whose work inspired her to find an experience to give back to the hard-working and deserving students. From the outset of the 2024-2025 school year, the club members demonstrated remarkable dedication and creativity in their fundraising efforts. They organized vibrant paint parties, hosted engaging school events, and rallied community support, successfully raising funds not only for essential art supplies but also for their eagerly awaited Disney journey.
The adventure began early on Sunday, April 13, as the NAHS members set off for Orlando, Florida, aiming to start the journey in Disney’s Hollywood Studios. The 27 students, brimming with excitement, divided into groups to explore the park's thrilling attractions. The day culminated in the mesmerizing 'Fantasmic!' show, leaving everyone in awe.
The second day brought the students to the enchanting 'Animal Kingdom,' where they participated in an 'Immersive Storytelling' workshop. Guided by a Disney Imagineer, the students explored the park with a unique perspective, learning about the imaginative process behind the design of each attraction.
They discovered how every detail, down to the design of the garbage bins, contributes to the overall narrative of the park. This hands-on experience revealed the meticulous attention to detail that Disney employs to create an immersive storytelling environment.
At the end of the tour, students went backstage where they had the opportunity to create a story for their own park. They broke into groups focusing on costume design, park theme and color, entertainment within their theme, and a menu with interesting relevance to their topic. In the end, they presented their imaginative creations to Disney Imagineers, receiving valuable feedback and insights.
On the third day, the group ventured to EPCOT for the 'Visual Art of Disney Parks' workshop. Here, they had the unique opportunity to reimagine the iconic 'Tree of Life' in their own artistic styles. Under the guidance of one of Disney's guest artists, who not only contributed paintings displayed in EPCOT but also had other notable art achievements with Disney, the students unleashed their creativity.
After a discussion on how the Tree of Life was made and the ideas that went into the original park attraction, the students spent an hour drawing, guided by the Disney artist, and created their own artworks of the tree. T
The rest of the day was spent exploring the park, culminating in the breathtaking 'Luminous: The Symphony of Us' show, a celebration of light and music.
The final day at Disney was spent in the magical 'Magic Kingdom' park, where the students engaged in the 'Theme Park Design' workshop. This hands-on activity challenged them to conceptualize their own theme parks, focusing on attractions, construction, and essential features. Armed with clipboards, the students toured the park, sketching different park ideas at each location.
At the end of the tour, they went backstage to bring their ideas to life. Using building materials, they created 3D models of the parks they designed and presented them to the Disney Imagineers. The rest of the day was spent enjoying the park, and as the sun set, they gathered to watch the enchanting 'Happily Ever After' show, a fitting finale to their Disney adventure.
Students finally returned home with cherished memories, newfound inspiration, and a deeper appreciation for the art of storytelling. Ms. Nasson was proud of the students' work throughout the trip, and of the creativity and dedication that the Bridgewater-Raritan High School students were able to put forth on this amazing trip.