WINNIPEG – At a ceremony on March 17, 2022, 72 students at Sisler High School received merit awards thanks to a generous contribution from the Schroeder Foundation.
The awards, which are given out each semester since 2019, are gifted to students with the highest academic averages who are taking classes in the CREATE, Cyber Security or Business programs at Sisler High School. There are 18 awards given per grade (Grades 9 through 12) including Gold, Silver, Bronze and Runner Up categories, as well as 14 general merit awards. Students receive up to $1,000, based on how they rank. The Foundation also provides hooded sweatshirts to all award recipients each semester.
Kimberly Chau, a Grade 12 student of the CREATE program, has received $3,000 in merit awards from The Schroeder Foundation since 2019. She plans to attend the CREATE post-high program next year, and will attend Vancouver Film School (VFS) the following year. She said the merit awards will help her cover living expenses in Vancouver.
“These awards mean so much to me because they give me the freedom to pursue my passion without worrying about money,” said Chau. “It offers such reassurance for my parents. Mr. Schroeder is like Santa Claus to us. Thank you again to the Schroeder Foundation for generously helping me and my peers achieve our dreams!”
Chau, who plans to study animation, is a top performing student, both artistically and academically. In 2021, she won Gold at both the Skills Manitoba and Skills Canada 2D Animation competitions. This year, Chau received a full-tuition scholarship to Vancouver Film School, provided by The Schroeder Foundation and VFS. A total of 19 CREATE students received this scholarship in 2022. Since 2020, the Foundation has sent 44 students to VFS.
The Foundation also provided cutting-edge, industry standard equipment to students in the CREATE program, which allowed them to continue their studies remotely during the pandemic.