When it did become clear to Thomas, he learned he was one of 100 students selected from thousands of applicants nationwide to participate in the 2018 Disney Dreamers Academy, which is supported by entertainer\u00a0Steve Harvey\u00a0and ESSENCE Magazine. The Legal Studies Academy student was one of five Dreamers to learn of his acceptance live on national television and is one of seven students accepted from Virginia.<\/p>\n According to the Disney Dreamers Academy website, applicants must be between the ages of 13-19, enrolled in high school grades 9-12 and \u201chave a winning combination of attributes that reflect strong character, positive attitude and persistence to take advantage of opportunities.\u201d The website also indicates applicants should be \u201cintellectually curious, compassionate, courageous, and a leader\u201d as well as have \u201cdreams about their future, a positive approach to life, be grateful and humble and take advantage of resources.\u201d<\/p>\n Thomas determined the odds would not be in his favor when his grandmother asked him to apply to the Disney Dreamers Academy two years ago.<\/p>\n \u201cI did the math and \u2013 I forget the numbers \u2013 but I figured, this is my percentage of being accepted out of a thousand kids. I said, I just don\u2019t want to do it. It will be a waste of my time and a waste of my efforts to be denied, so I didn\u2019t do it.\u201d<\/p>\n Thomas\u2019 grandmother must also display the Disney Dreamer attribute of \u201cpersistence to take advantage of opportunities\u201d because she didn\u2019t give up on her dream for her grandson.<\/p>\n \u201cThis year she asked me again,\u201d said Thomas. \u201cI did it to make her happy. I had no intention of being accepted.\u201d<\/p>\n Despite his admitted half-hearted approach to the application process, Thomas is excited about the academy to be held March 8-11 at Walt Disney World Resort in\u00a0Orlando, Florida. The immersive four-day program does include opportunities to explore the theme park and interact with celebrities but it emphasizes career options, career readiness and pursuing one\u2019s dreams.<\/p>\n \u201cNow I\u2019m glad I applied. I feel like it\u2019s going to help me pursue my career and possibly even change what I want to do,\u201d said Thomas. \u201cWhen I go down there and see what they have and what my career options could possibly be, it may change.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cEven though being a cop doesn\u2019t reward you a lot financially and you don\u2019t always get the respect, it\u2019s still something that I want to do,\u201d he said. \u201cI had an uncle who was killed five years ago by one of his friends. I just want to be a cop to get people like that off the streets and to prevent families from going through such hurt. I know how it feels to lose someone very close to you. If I can get criminals off the street and put them behind bars, I will feel very happy and I will feel like I\u2019m doing justice and doing the right thing.\u201d<\/p>\n Thomas also refers to a grandfather who is a correctional officer as another inspiration for the career choice.<\/p>\n The positive influence of his grandparents has shaped Thomas\u2019 life in many ways and was the focus of one of his essays for the Disney Dreamers Academy application.<\/p>\n \u201cOne question they asked was: If you had to put together a life story, what would it be? I always tell people, life is like teabags. God sometimes takes you through hot water so that He can show you what you\u2019re capable of. So, what I put in my story was many years ago I lived in Philadelphia. To make long story short, I was homeless; we lived in a shelter,\u201d said Thomas, adding that he found a permanent home with his grandparents.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd I thank God for that. Now I can look back and say, I\u2019m blessed because I wake up and I have many options. My story is: I\u2019m blessed and highly favored because I came from nothing and now I have more than I could ever imagine.\u201d<\/p>\n What does Thomas say to his grandmother now for encouraging him to apply and getting him to New York for the surprise announcement?<\/p>\n \u201cThank you very much,\u201d he replied.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was a wonderful, wonderful<\/em> time in [New York], and I\u2019m just very blessed,\u201d he added. \u201cI\u2019m sure that the workshops they have and everything they do to help you pursue your career will really benefit me.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n To learn more about the Disney Dreamers Academy and view a complete list of the academy\u2019s Class of 2018, visit <\/em>www.disneydreamersacademy.com<\/em><\/a>. To view Thomas on Good Morning America, visit <\/em>abcnews.go.com<\/em><\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Marquis Thomas thought he was going to New York with his grandmother, Dawn Boyer, for a mentoring program related to Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. 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<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a>While he is keeping an open mind about new career opportunities, Thomas does sound resolute when talking about using his experiences in the Legal Studies Academy to work in law enforcement.<\/p>\n