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A little bit of magic Nine Weledeh students offered surprise trip to Disneyland
Candace Thomson
Northern News Services
Published Friday, September 20, 2013
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Nine children attending Weledeh Catholic School were subjected to a whirlwind of emotion on Wednesday after they were called to the office at lunch time.
Helen Minoza, left, her daughter Jasmine Minoza, 9, and husband Barrie Minoza celebrate the news that Jasmine will be going to Disneyland in Anaheim, Calif., on Sept. 24. Jasmine was selected by Weledeh Catholic School to go on the free trip provided by the charity organization Dreams Take Flight. She was told on Wednesday that she'd be going. - Candace Thomson/NNSL photo |
The students were led by a teaching assistant from the office and into a classroom where, to their surprise, they found their parents sitting at tables waiting for them.
"At first I thought some kids were in trouble," said nine-year-old Jasmine Minoza. "Then I thought it was maybe someone's birthday party or we were going bowling."
It turned out the children were going a bit further than the bowling alley.
Merril Dean, student services co-ordinator at Weledeh, told the students they'd be visiting California's Disneyland Park a week from Wednesday, thanks to a charity called Dreams Take Flight, which allows medically and financially-challenged children to experience the famous amusement park.
The families were contacted by Weledeh staff, who selected 10 students who they felt wouldn't ordinarily get a chance to go on a trip like this because of family, medical or financial issues. School staff then took care of the application process for passports and birth certificates for the students who didn't have them already.
Tears sprung to Minoza's eyes as she heard the news and looked quickly to her parents, who along with the other parents had known for a week that their children had been chosen. Cheers rang up from the eight other children in the room, and parents were grinning everywhere.
"It's a wonderful opportunity for her to travel," said Jasmine's father, Barrie Minoza.
Dreams Take Flight has been taking students from Yellowknife to Disneyland for 10 years, but the organization normally only takes one or two children.
This year, the 20th anniversary for the Edmonton chapter of the charity, it decided to take lots of Northern children, according to Yellowknife volunteer and Air Canada Jazz employee Linda Traynor.
The charity covers all the costs of the trip through fundraising events and galas, as well as donations from corporations. It is also sponsored by Air Canada.
When the initial excitement died down, Jasmine had a few questions for her teacher.
"Are we allowed to go on rides? Can our parents come? Can I bring a picture of them? It's small," she said, brown eyes glittering with excitement.
When asked what she wanted to see most, Jasmine asked Yellowknifer if there were princesses at Disneyland.
"I want to see Jasmine," she said, referring to Princess Jasmine from the Disney film Aladdin.
She then mused, "I don't know why I still like princesses. I'm nine, but I do."
The children will fly to Los Angeles on Sept. 24 where they will meet up with 220 students from Edmonton. At Disneyland, there will be two children per one chaperone, so students with physical or mental disabilities are able to participate and have their needs attended to.
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