Students in the Winnipeg School Division’s CREATE program at Sisler High School are embarking on the field trip of a lifetime.
On May 25, 2023, 12 students in the post-high CREATE program will travel to Los Angeles to pitch their animated series and short films to industry professionals at Nickelodeon Studios. The students were invited by the studio, which has provided mentorship, masterclasses and support to the Sisler CREATE program since 2019 as part of a partnership called The Orange Tree Project. Mentors from Nickelodeon meet virtually on a monthly basis with students in CREATE as part of the studio’s public engagement and mentorship program Nickelodeon Community Efforts.
“Nickelodeon has given us so much. During the pandemic and beyond, the mentors have invested heavily in these students and their projects. It means the world to us,” said Jamie Leduc, CREATE’s Department Head and Animation Teacher. “This trip will take our partnership to the next level. Meeting their mentors and touring Nickelodeon is a dream come true for these young animators.”
The majority of the costs for the trip are being covered by The Schroeder Foundation, a charity that also provides scholarships, merit awards, equipment and an industry liaison to the CREATE program. Toon Boom Animation, an animation software provider and major supporter of CREATE, has also provided a financial contribution. The trip is also being supported by WestJet, who provided a voucher for one roundtrip flight for two guests to any regularly scheduled and marketed WestJet destination. The voucher is being raffled off to raise funds.
In addition to pitching at Nickelodeon and touring their studio, students will also be meeting with Arnon Manor, VP of Visual Effects at Sony Pictures, who has mentored CREATE students since 2020. Manor facilitated CREATE’s participation in the short film ‘Cops and Robbers’, which won a Peabody Award and was long listed for an Academy Award. Students are currently working on two additional projects with Manor. While in Los Angeles, students will also receive a tour of Disney Studios.
“When I learned about the trip, I just covered my face with my hands and cried. I couldn’t believe this was something I would get to do,” said Mary-Anne Guiboche, a student who will be pitching a series she helped create. “We are nervous for sure, but so excited to have this opportunity. We are practicing like crazy so we can make a good impression on these people we admire so much.”