Not Just a Trip: My Orlando Experience With Links to Success

Spring break is one of my favorite times of year! And for the past 4 years, I’ve been attending Links to Success’ Annual Spring Break Experience as a Student Ambassador. This spring break, I was given an opportunity that felt both simple and extraordinary: a trip to Orlando. It’s funny how you can live in Florida your whole life and still not explore what’s right in front of you. Orlando had always been “there,” but never fully experienced. Until now. 

Our first stop was a college visit that opened my eyes in ways I didn’t expect. Walking across the Embry-Riddle campus, I saw so many possibilities. We explored programs that could let us study planes up close and even pursue something as bold as earning a pilot’s license alongside a major or minor. It made me realize that the future doesn’t have to be one straight path; it can be layered, ambitious, and entirely our own.

Later that day, everything shifted from inspiring to surreal. We attended an NBA game featuring the Orlando Magic. For many of us, this was our first time attending an NBA game, and thanks to Links to Success, we were able to sit courtside during the players’ warm-up. Sitting so close to the court, hearing the sneakers squeak and the crowd roar, it didn’t feel like something distant on a screen. It was real. For a moment, I imagined my future self sitting courtside again, not just dreaming but having made it. Around me, other kids shared that same sentiment. We weren’t there just for the game; it was motivation for our futures.

The next day brought us to the iconic Magic Kingdom at Disney World, and honestly, nothing could have prepared me for it. Yes, it’s magical, but it’s also inspiring in a completely different way. We didn’t just explore the park; we participated in a workshop where we designed our own theme parks. Ideas flowed faster than I could keep up with them. And even though I’ve never thought of myself as an architect, something clicked. I realized that imagination like that doesn’t have to stay in your head. It can become something real if you choose to pursue it.

Of course, we rode attractions, laughed until our sides hurt, and even met characters like Winnie the Pooh and friends. But the moment that stayed with me most came at the end of the night, the Magic Kingdom fireworks.
It was magical, and unlike any fireworks I’d ever seen! Standing there, watching the sky light up, I realized that being present was enough. More than enough. It was one of those rare moments where everything feels exactly right.

The next day, we headed home. But I didn’t come back the same. This trip wasn’t just about visiting Orlando; it was about discovering pieces of myself I hadn’t fully seen before. New goals, new dreams, and the realization that the world, even the parts closest to us, still has so much left to offer.

I am so grateful to be part of Links to Success as a student ambassador. I’ve participated in this free college and career prep program since I was in middle school. This year, I will graduate from high school. I will carry this and many other memories with me forever.