When Children’s Media student Roxy Macdonald looked down at her ringing phone and saw Youth Media Alliance (YMA) across her screen, she answered with much anticipation to possibly receive the news that she won the Andra Sheffer Scholarship. After completing a video call with the team at the YMA only 30 minutes prior, along with submitting an application, essay, recommendation letters, and a project pitch preceding this, her anticipation turned to excitement when she answered and heard she had won the scholarship. “I was so pleased. And, of course, the first thing I did was call my mom,” she shares.
The YMA offers the Andra Sheffer Scholarship to students interested in pursuing a career in children’s television or digital media production. The recipient receives registration to the Kidscreen Summit conference, which took place in February, and registration to the Banff World Media Festival, an international media event in June.
Roxy describes the scholarship as a personal development scholarship. She explains that the most valuable things she has learned are the skills she needs to network, make connections, and meet people interested in her writing and projects. With the opportunity to attend the Banff World Media Festival in only a couple of months, Roxy will get the chance to meet the likes of various producers, production companies, and showrunners and pitch herself and her project.
As excited as she is to receive this opportunity, she is equally excited to learn while she’s there. “There are so many opportunities to go to keynote speeches, go to panels, learn about the industry, and develop creatively by getting ideas you wouldn’t have otherwise,” she says.
Kenn Scott, the Program Coordinator of the Children’s Media program, is thrilled for Roxy. He shares, “Winning the Andra Sheffer Scholarship is definitely a terrific achievement for Roxy -- and well-deserved too. Regarding what Roxy's accomplished, the scholarship panel is looking for professional-level talent because the scholarship comes with the opportunity to pitch her material in a professional environment at Kidscreen in Miami and at the Banff TV Festival.”
He adds, “This is the big leagues. These are the arenas working writers across North America are working to get into. And now Roxy will have the visibility of being an award-winner when she pitches there -- and the award is sponsored by some of the biggest producers of TV entertainment in Canada. Breakthrough, DHX, Marblemedia, Sinking Ship, Shaftesbury....these are huge names in Canadian production. It gives Roxy a lot of credibility, even before she starts pitching.
College and university students across Canada compete for the Andra Sheffer award. And of the eight people who have won it since it was [first awarded] in 2017, four are from Centennial's Children's Media program. It's a great honour for the program, obviously. But I also think it speaks to the quality of Centennial's children's media program -- and to the quality of the students we have here!”
ROXY’S JOURNEY TO THE CHILDREN’S MEDIA PROGRAM
Roxy’s mentor, who also works in children’s media, is the one who suggested the program to her and said it would be a great fit. “I had wanted to do it for a couple of years but didn’t get to because of COVID. Then, when I applied this year, I made it just under the wire, and I’m really glad I did because it has been so good,” she says. “What stuck out to me when I read about it was how many of the instructors worked on shows I loved growing up, and that made me feel that I had a personal connection to them.”
In the past couple of years, Roxy gravitated to the children’s media industry, as she shares that she realized how comforting children’s media can be to a child that is going through something. “I feel like right now the world needs that more than ever,” she adds.
Now approaching the end of the program, Roxy reflects on some key lessons she has obtained, which revolve around picking up the skills she needs to succeed. “Aside from just bettering my writing skills, I have also learned so many practical skills about what goes into a production, how to get funding for a project, and so many practical things that I would never have known otherwise,” she explains.
As for her favourite part of the program, her classmates rank high in what she has enjoyed most. “It’s a cross between the instructors and my classmates. My classmates and I get along so well. There’s such a sense of camaraderie, and we all support each other.
Roxy also has advice for those interested in pursuing this program. She shares, “The best advice I could give somebody is get ready to focus. Because this is such an intensive program, you're going to want to be able to use a lot of energy and brain space on this, so prepare yourself because it's going to be intense, but it's also very, very rewarding.” She adds, “Sometimes you have to compromise your vision to make it come true, but making it come true is a reward.”
Congratulations, Roxy, on such an outstanding accomplishment! We look forward to following along in your journey within this industry, as we know you will achieve great things.
Article by: Alexandra Few