Canada’s Youth Media Alliance (YMA) has announced Anthony Suen as the first recipient of this year’s YMA Andra Sheffer Scholarship. Suen is a student from Centennial College’s Children’s Media Program in Toronto.

Suen, who is focused on the interactive and multiplatform industry, was selected by a jury of YMA members for the quality of his project currently in development, and for his commitment to a career in the children’s media industry.

Through the YMA Andra Sheffer Scholarship, Suen will receive accreditation to attend Kidscreen Summit 2017 in Miami (valued at approximately US$1,595) and the Banff World Media Festival 2017 (valued at approximately US$1,695), as well as a check for US$1,114 to cover transportation and accommodation.

Additionally, Suen will receive mentoring under Ira Levy and representatives from Breakthrough Entertainment and the YMA. The scholarship also affords Suen a meeting with Andra Sheffer and Kim Wilson, and a visit to the Kids’ CBC studios with Marie McCann.

The YMA Andra Sheffer Scholarship will be awarded annually to a student with a passion for creating innovative content planning to pursue a career in children’s animation, TV or digital media production.

Sheffer is the CEO of the Independent Production Fund and the COGECO Program Development Fund, both of which are private funds supporting the Canadian digital media, TV and film industries.

The scholarship’s financial partners include 9 Story Media Group, Apartment 11 Productions, Breakthrough Entertainment, Brunico, CMPA National and CMPA-BC Producers Branch, DHX Television, Give me Chocolate, Guru Studio, marblemedia, Portfolio Entertainment, Radical Sheep – A Boat Rocker Media Company, Secret Location, Sinking Ship Entertainment and Shaftesbury.