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Disney Marks Earth Day by Recognizing 10 Young Leaders and 30 Years of Conservation Impact

Brand

April 22, 2026

A Once-in-a-lifetime Walt Disney World Experience to Celebrate the Disney Conservation Fund’s Enduring Commitment to Future Generations 

What a month! From advancing global conservation efforts with the Disney Conservation Fund and Disneynature — from Mexico to China and beyond — to inspiring action among Disney cast members and future conservation leaders, the past 30 days have been filled with meaningful nature and sustainability stories to celebrate. These are stories that give us hope, show what’s possible when we work together and reflect Walt Disney’s belief indoing the impossible, and make real impact for biodiversity, communities, and a better tomorrow.

We’re grateful to every guest, cast member, and fan who has been a part of these stories, and to those ready to join us for years to come.  

And today on Earth Day, we’re thrilled to share one more story that gives us hope for the future: Jane Goodall’s Roots & Shoots USA has selected 10 exceptional young people across the United States as the winners of the “Hop into the Animal Kingdom Challenge,” launched in celebration of Disney and Pixar’s all-new film Hoppers and the 30th anniversary of the Disney Conservation Fund. 

“These winners were chosen because they do exactly what Roots & Shoots is all about — hopping in to make a difference for animals and their habitats, and embodying the five capacities at the heart of our movement: purpose, resilience, compassion, community, and agency,” said Mary Ford, Vice President of Jane Goodall’s Roots & Shoots, USA. “In a year when we’re celebrating the 35th anniversary of Jane Goodall’s Roots & Shoots, this is such a fantastic way to recognize just some of the many young people we’ve been proud to see changing the world.” 

To celebrate these incredible young people, we’re inviting them to join the Disney Conservation Fund for a 30th anniversary finale celebration and youth summit at Walt Disney World Resort later this year for opportunities to network with other youth and Disney experts, participate in immersive animal experiences, and showcase their projects. In addition to travel and lodging, winners will receive a grant from Roots & Shoots to support their ongoing projects or kickstart new projects to help nature and their communities, and they will be invited to participate in the selection of other Roots & Shoots projects for future grant awards. 

Let’s meet the youth winners:

Eastern Region

Angela Butz (age 16) 

State: NJ

Angela’s project involved planting native species to create a better environment for pollinators, enhance biodiversity, and connect the community. (Photo Credit: Vicki Butz)

Jack Dalton (age 15) 

State: MA

Jack’s project involves many different activities to empower youth and people of all ages to care about and take action to protect animals and our environment. For instance, Jack wrote a book called 'Kawan the Orangutan: Lost in the Rainforest' and every year hosts a fundraiser that allows him to donate copies of his book to schools, libraries, and hospitals and to plant trees in the rainforests critical to orangutan survival. (Photo credit: Heather Dalton)

Southeastern Region

Shea Polley (age 16) 

State: FL

Shea’s project combines her love for sea turtles with her passion for helping children and families facing medical challenges at the Children’s Cancer Center, while also raising awareness to protect these incredible animals for future generations. Inspired by the idea that sea turtles always find their way home, the project includes environmental education, a docuseries, and hands-on workshops with children and their siblings. (Photo credit: Leesa Polley)

Destiny Joy Sagay (age 18) 

State: GA

Destiny’s project focuses on removing plastic waste near a five-acre lake surrounded by a walking track and several picnic areas, where trash often overflows after events like birthday parties or is left behind and ends up in the water. By cleaning up this waste, Destiny helps prevent plastic from harming wildlife and polluting the lake. (Photo credit: Destiny Joy Sagay)

Midwestern Region

Marlee Christiansen (age 16) 

State: IL

Marlee’s project addresses the harmful effects of urban environments on birds and bats by collecting collision data, advocating for bird-safe building practices, and installing bat houses to provide safe habitats. It also promotes community education to reduce stigma and raise awareness about the ecological importance of these species and the need for conservation efforts. (Photo credit: Eric Guzzetta/JGI)

William Tan (age 15) 

State: MN

William’s project, Build A Reef, transforms a science invention into a Smart Artificial Reef system by scaling prototype designs into marine infrastructure that monitors and enhances aquatic ecosystems in real time. (Photo credit: William Tan)

Southwestern Region

Cash Daniels (age 16) 

State: TN 

Cash’s project raises awareness of the critical role sharks play in our oceans and the threats facing sharks today. (Photo credit: Erin Daniels)

Ethan Park (age 15) 

State: TX

Ethan’s project is the Seven Lakes High School Prairie Restoration Project, which is an effort to revive the Katy Prairie and educate fellow students about the importance of conservation. (Photo credit: John Glaser Photography)

Western Region

Nateli Sanderson (age 16) 

State: WA

Nateli’s project is working towards a more sustainable future for the endangered orcas and salmon in the Salish Sea through habitat restoration and community outreach. (Photo credit: Eric Guzzetta / the Jane Goodall Institute)

Ray Schaffer (age 18) 

State: CA

Ray’s project is a youth awareness initiative that shares the concept of wildlife coexistence with the younger generation through interactive assemblies about California's Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing and P-22, the mountain lion. (Photo credit: Calabasas High School)

We can’t wait to host these inspiring young people later this year, where we will also announce the exciting work ahead for the Disney Conservation Fund. These youth represent not only the positive impact that every individual can have, but also the power of nature to support health and happiness — something we have been committed to long-term. To date, the fund has positively impacted more than 20M people, including supporting youth education efforts, bringing nature to communities through inspiring stories, and connecting millions of kids with nature experiences. And we’re not done yet. 

As we look ahead from Earth Month, we’re continuing our year-round commitment to driving environmental progress through Disney Planet Possible initiatives to take meaningful and measurable action for a healthier planet for people and wildlife — and you can continue to follow along on our efforts throughout the year by visiting www.thewaltdisneycompany.com/disney-planet-possible.  

We’ll see you real soon.

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