Schroeder Foundation and VFS provide $500,000 in Support
February 23, 2021
WINNIPEG – 15 students from Sisler High School’s CREATE post-grad program will receive full scholarships to Vancouver Film School (VFS) this year, thanks to unprecedented contributions from the Walter and Maria Schroeder Foundation and VFS.
The recipients were given the news at a socially distanced live event held at Sisler High School on February 23 at 11am. The event was broadcast virtually, with the students’ families and communities in attendance.
The scholarship recipients are Noah Ascano, Meadow Chaput, Justin Choy, Rance Dee, Andrew Dilag, Josh Estillore, Nya Langit, Jireh Laririt, Mae Lestones, Dairyl Mabunga, Allen Miranda, Ethan Reyes, Jose Gabriel Reyes, Kaylise Rose, Jemimah Suba.
“Thanks to the incredible generosity of The Schroeder Foundation and VFS, these talented students have a bright future ahead of them,” said Jamie Leduc, CREATE department head. “It was initially going to be 10 scholarships, but when VFS and foundation heard we had 15 students interested and qualified, they just made it happen. All applicants will receive the full scholarship – and right now they have no idea. It’s going to be an emotional announcement.”
The students will be pursuing studies in Classical Animation, Game Design, and Animation Concept Art. They will begin their program through distanced learning while living in Winnipeg. VFS is covering 40% of each scholarship, and 60% will be covered by The Walter and Maria Schroeder Foundation. Together they are providing around $500,000 in support.
“We are thrilled to invest in these talented students and help them achieve their full potential,” said Walter Schroeder. “These hardworking young animators, many of them new Canadians or first generation, deserve the opportunity to pursue their dreams. At the Walter and Maria Schroeder Foundation, we believe in removing barriers to education.”
The Walter and Maria Schroeder Foundation is an incredible supporter of the Sisler CREATE program, having provided nearly $500,000 in scholarships, and an additional $900,000 in equipment to the high school and post-grad program since 2019. The foundation also funds an industry liaison and communications manager to help provide education pathways and job opportunities for students.
The VFS contribution to the scholarships is the latest offer in the school’s long-standing relationship with the Sisler CREATE program. Including these 15 students, there will have been 70 Sisler CREATE students who have received scholarships to study at VFS in the past five years alone. This year’s group will be the largest yet.
“VFS is very proud of it’s long standing and continually growing relationship with Sisler CREATE,” said Colin Giles, Head of Animation and VFX at Vancouver Film School. “What Jamie Leduc and the staff at Sisler High School have created is a progressive and special program. Having had the privilege of visiting a number of times in person, working with Sisler grads at VFS, and hiring numerous Sisler CREATE Grads as Teaching Assistants in my own staff, I am personally invested in the special relationship we have. The students that arrive in Vancouver from Sisler are special people filled with passion, wonder and drive that has been instilled by the amazing program there.”
Sisler High School is one of the largest high schools in the province and boasts an incredibly diverse student body. This year’s scholarship recipients reflect this rich diversity.
Sisler High School’s CREATE post-grad initiative is supported through the Winnipeg School Division and Manitoba Education. It is a free, eight credit hour program focused on job readiness and post-secondary pathways. Piloted last year, the program is seeing incredible results. Of their 26 graduates, 11 are already employed in the industry, while 10 received full-ride scholarships to VFS – supplied by the Schroeder Foundation and VFS. The students begin their post-secondary studies in Winnipeg, with a focus on finding employment in the local industry.
Registration is now open for the 2021/2022 Sisler CREATE post-grad program. Winnipeg School Division High School graduates under the age of 21 are invited to apply. More information can be found at www.sislercreate.com.