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Essay Contest Winner

For the last several months we've had the pleasure of reading a number of essays submitted for our essay-writing competition, "What I Admire Most About Walt Disney." Some were hand-printed or illustrated with happy faces and pictures of shining suns. Others were carefully typed. One (which we featured in last month's website) was done in verse.
Many of the essays focused on Walt's creations - from the cartoons, to the live action films to Disneyland. With very few exceptions, they centered on the importance of Walt's personal contribution to these efforts.

All the entrants in our contest should be proud of themselves for taking the time and effort to participate. But the ones that stood out from the pack were those that focused on the elements of Walt's personality that made his accomplishments possible. Choosing one winner was a difficult task yet a very pleasurable one.

The winner - who will receive an autographed mini-library of books about Walt Disney - is (drum roll, please) Janet Karen Hwu of San Diego California. A 13-year-old Disney fan, Janet attended the Mesa Verde Middle School last year, and will begin her studies at Mount Carmel High School this year. This articulate young lady's essay focuses on Walt's determination to succeed, a trait she would like to emulate herself.
Her goal in life? To be a Disney animator!
Congratulations to Janet. Her essay follows:

The Wonderful Walt Disney

What comes to mind when one hears the name "Walt Disney?" Most people who know a bit about this man would picture an optimistic dreamer with a strong work ethic and a friendly smile. They would visualize the imaginative creator of many memorable characters and places, like Mickey Mouse, Snow White and Disneyland. Walt Disney was a good leader, a kind father and a man who hungered for knowledge. It is so hard to choose from the many praiseworthy traits Walt Disney had. But what made all his magical creations come to be? What caused Walt to become one of the most famous men in the past century? Mickey Mouse and Disneyland would never have existed if it weren't for the fact that Walt Disney had an outstanding amount of determination, bravery and an ability to overcome unsuccessfulness.

Knowing how prosperous Walt was, you'd think he was the luckiest man ever. But in truth he was only "lucky" because he possessed the willpower to overcome the many obstacles he encountered. Americans doubted Snow White would appeal to the public, and they called the feature "Disney's Folly." During his studio strike, he was called an "exploiter of labor." Disneyland's opening day was also called a "complete disaster."
Another factor that contributed to Walt's success was how he kept on improving, setting new goals, once he had accomplished previous ones. His wife Lillian once commented, "Walt just kept on progressing. He was the first with sound. He was the first with color. Then he wanted to make a feature. I didn't want him to. I thought, 'We're doing all right. Let's not go any further than this.'"

Lilly spoke correctly. Walt improved just for the sake of improvement. After making several full-length animated features, Walt moved on to live-action films. Then he wanted to build Disneyland and Disney World! Often, when Walt chose to progress, he plunged into debt and risked bankruptcy. People willing to take these kinds of risks are very rare.

To conclude, Walt Disney was one of the most successful men in the 20th Century. There are so many things to admire about him: enthusiasm, optimism and his sense of fun. But anyone can be fun. Anyone can be a dreamer or an optimist. It takes much more to have the bravery and determination to turn dreams into reality. That is what I admire most about Walt Disney.


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