A Decade of Breaking Barriers and Creating Opportunity @ Sisler
Since 2015, Sisler High School’s CREATE Animation Program has connected public education with the animation industry—and given students more than a front-row seat. They learn from professionals, contribute to real productions and begin building creative careers while they are still in school.
The results are pretty remarkable: more than $5,000,000.00 in scholarships awarded to 178 graduates between 2015 and 2026, student contributions to a Peabody Award-winning Netflix film, paid internships, international conference presentations and animation work for a feature film.
In other words, CREATE has spent a decade proving what can happen when talent meets opportunity—and gets access to the right tools, mentors and people.
The CREATE Animation Timeline
2015
Opening Doors to Post-Secondary Education – Vancouver Film School Scholarship Partnership
Vancouver Film School became CREATE’s first post-secondary partner to establish dedicated scholarships for students. Between 2015 and 2020, 62 Sisler graduates received more than $840,000 in scholarships, helping make further education and creative careers more attainable.
That is a lot of tuition barriers moved out of the way.
Local Artists Inspire the Next Generation
Artists Earl Cabuhat, Doug Morrow, Alain Delannoy, Anita Lebeau and Chris Darnbrough shared their professional experiences and creative journeys with students, offering a glimpse into what a creative career can actually look like.
2016
Building Industry Connections Learning from Pixar and Disney
Dr. Lawrence Levy, former Pixar CFO, spoke about Pixar’s evolution and his experience working with Steve Jobs.
Trent Correy, now a director at Disney Animation, also visited Sisler to talk about working on Frozen, Moana and Big Hero 6. We learned drew caricatures and took in his advice on the importance of creating your stories.
2017
Jam Filled Animation Partnership Begins
Since 2017, Jam Filled Animation began to support our students through masterclasses, mentorship, short-film development and studio experiences. This was kicked off by a 2 day onsite masterclass on world and character design with Production Designer Tom Pajdlhauser.
The partnership has helped bring the working world of animation closer to the classroom—without requiring students to sneak into a studio tour.
Toon Boom Animation Partnership
Toon Boom began supporting CREATE through professional presentations, masterclasses, technology and ongoing program collaboration, giving students access to tools and knowledge used throughout the industry.
2018
2019
The Schroeder Foundation Invests in CREATE – Removing Barriers and Strengthening Industry Connections
That combination mattered. Students gained access to educational opportunities, professional connections and industry experiences that might otherwise have been out of reach. The result: more students able to imagine a future in animation—and take practical steps toward it.
The Schroeder Foundation began supporting Sisler CREATE, helping expand opportunities for students through full-tuition scholarships and investments in the program’s long-term success. The support went beyond financial assistance. The Foundation also helped strengthen the bridge between education and industry by supporting an industry liaison, a program advisor, industry trips and technology support.
A Visit from an Avengers Animation Leader
Jan Philip Cramer, Head of Animation on Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, visited Sisler in November 2019 and shared insights into the animation behind the blockbuster films. Yes, the conversation included superheroes. No, students did not have to save the world before lunch.
2020
Cops and Robbers — CREATE Students Contribute to an Award-Winning Netflix Film
Five CREATE post-high animation students contributed animated scenes to Cops and Robbers, a Netflix short film addressing racism and racial injustice through spoken-word poetry by Broadway actor Timothy Ware-Hill.
Released in 2020, the film was long-listed for an Academy Award and won a Peabody Award in 2021. For the students involved, it was a chance to contribute to a production with real creative weight—and international recognition.
A Foundational Nickelodeon Partnership – The OTP is launched
NiCE (Nickelodeon Community Efforts) established an educational partnership with CREATE, connecting students with professional artists through mentorships, masterclasses and showcases in Burbank, California. The Orange Tree Project is launched. Thank you Carson Smith and Darian Gonzalez.
A classroom connection with Hollywood? That will do NiCEly.
CTN Live with Nickelodeon Storyboard Artist Crystal Kan
Students joined Crystal Kan to present at CTN Live, gaining experience sharing their work and learning in a professional animation setting. Because making the work is one skill. Talking about it is another. Nickelodeon Presents: ThumbNAILED IT! Storyboarding w/ Crystal Kan
Crystal Kan (Storyboard Artist, Rugrats) breaks down storyboarding principles for animation, how to break into the industry, and her journey into animation as part of our Nick Community Efforts “Animation Masterclass” series, in partnership with North American high schools & art programs. This class will showcase students from the Sisler High School Animation Program in Winnipeg, Canada and will be simulcast to Twitch LIVE as part of our featured programming for CTN-LIVE.
2021
Wacom Partnership Expands Access to Creative Tools
Wacom supported CREATE with creative technology, mentorships and professional learning opportunities, helping students access the tools and expertise used throughout the animation industry.
Mentorships connected students with Jason Scheier, a production designer with Paramount Animation and Sony Pictures Animation credits; manga artist Sarajean (theOneWithBear); and Wacom representatives Dave Bolton and Sarah Woodward.
The message was clear: better tools help, but knowing how to use them—and why—matters even more.
Paid Internships with Nelvana – From Classroom to Professional Production
CREATE and Nelvana established paid internship opportunities for top animation students. Participants gained valuable production experience and screen credits on established properties, including Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go and Nickelodeon-related productions. It was a meaningful step from “I’m learning animation” to “I worked on that.”
2022
Into the Spiderverse
Peter Ramses, co-director of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, also shared insights into the film’s creative process, giving students a closer look at the artistry, innovation and storytelling behind a groundbreaking animated feature. That is a lot of creative firepower in one room.
2023
Taking the Stage at the Ottawa International Animation Festival
CREATE students shared their experiences and creative journeys at the Ottawa International Animation Festival, one of the world’s leading animation events.
They were not just attending. They were presenting, representing and showing the animation world what Canadian students can do.
2021 — Rise Up Animation Brings Industry Artists to CREATE
Learning from the Artists Behind Award-Winning Animation
Through Rise Up Animation, founded by Monica Lago-Kaytis, Trent Correy, Frank Abney and Bobby Pontillas, CREATE students connected with leading artists and storytellers, including Josie Trinidad, Bobby Pontillas, Erin Ramos and John Aquino.
Winnipeg Jets Filipino Heritage Night – Celebrating Culture Through Animation
The Winnipeg Jets invited CREATE students to use the ice surface as a canvas for Filipino Heritage Night, demonstrating how animation and visual storytelling can celebrate culture, identity and community. An ice rink is not the usual animation workspace. That was part of the fun.
Sisler Alumni Aleks Paunovic inspires next generation
Canadian actor and Sisler grad Aleks Paunovic (Hawkeye, Van Helsing, Snowpiercer, Zero Contact) stopped by CREATE to tour the program and meet our students!
The actor, originally from Winnipeg, was in town to host the ACTRA Awards. He visited the school and generously gave his time to answer questions from our students about working in the industry.
Previewing 3 years of our Animation
On September 22, 2023 CREATE was thrilled to welcome filmmakers Kelsey Bascom and Arnon Manor (Sr VP of VFX at Sony Pictures) to Winnipeg!
Bascom and Manor are the creators behind the feature film ‘Quarter’, which follows the life of a woman living with Type 1 diabetes. Our students have been creating animated scenes for the film, and were treated to a work-in-progress screening of the film during the visit.
In the Loud House (Sisler)
Kyle Marshall, director of the Loud House and Wylde Pak visits Sisler to talk about developing your stories.
2024
BRIC Foundation Conferences and SIGGRAPH Vancouver
CREATE students and staff participated as panelists, sharing the program’s approach to animation education, industry partnerships, mentorship and career pathways with wider creative communities.
They brought the CREATE story to the room—and then brought new ideas back home.
2024 — Behind the Scenes at Leading Animation Studios
Studio Visits Across North America
Students visited Netflix Animation, Disney Animation, Sony Pictures Animation and Nickelodeon, gaining insight into professional studio environments, creative workflows and the people behind the productions.
They saw the studios. They asked questions. They got a clearer picture of where their own skills might take them.
2025
2026
2026 — Exploring Canada’s Animation Industry
Visits to Jam Filled Animation and Mercury Filmworks
Students explored Canadian animation studios and learned more about production pipelines, career opportunities and the skills needed to succeed in the industry.
Ring ring, guess who called?
Aaron Blaise, lover of nature, legendary Animator and Director who worked on “The Rescuers Down Under”, “Beauty and the Beast”, “Brother Bear”, etc., and now his Oscar short listed animated short, “Snow Bear”!
He talked about his love for animal anatomy, animation, emotional journey, creative process, how “Snow Bear” is a metaphor for his life, and the importance of a balanced story telling. We also did a Q&A with Aaron while he drew this amazing piece of art
Now Then Forever – a new mentorship of a lifetime
In June students were visited by Adolph Luisinsky (Head of Cinematagraphy at Disney Animation) to kick start our new mentorship on his animated short.
Quarter, the Feature-Film – Mentorship hits theatres
From December 2020 to April 2024, Arnon Manor and Kelsey Bascom mentored more than 62 CREATE students through biweekly sessions as they created animated scenes for Quarter, a coming-of-age comedy-drama about a young woman living with type 1 diabetes.
Four years. More than 62 students. Countless drawings, revisions, conversations and probably a heroic amount of coffee.
The experience gave students an opportunity to contribute to a feature film while developing their animation skills through sustained mentorship, collaboration and production work. Quarter is scheduled to arrive in theatres on November 13, 2026.
The Bigger Picture
Over more than a decade, CREATE students have earned scholarships, secured paid internships, contributed to professional productions, learned from internationally recognized artists and presented their work at festivals and industry conferences.
They have worked on ice. They have worked with studios. They have worked on films. They have stood on stages and shared their ideas with the animation world.
These milestones represent more than partnerships and special events. They show what happens when creative education is accessible, industry connections are real and students are trusted with meaningful opportunities.
Thank you to the artists, studios, mentors, educators, technology partners and community organizations who have helped make these opportunities possible.
Our students are not simply learning about animation—they are contributing to it, one frame at a time.