The Youth Media Alliance has selected Sheridan Riggillo, a Media Production major at Toronto Metropolitan University, as this year’s winner of its YMA Andra Sheffer Scholarship.

Awarded annually to a student pursuing a career in kids television or digital media, the scholarship includes registrations for Kidscreen Summit 2024 in February and Banff World Media Festival 2024 in June, as well as a US$3,000 travel grant. YMA team members will also help Riggillo line up meetings, review her pitch documents and guide her experience on the ground at these industry events.

Rigglio worked as a development intern at marblemedia at the beginning of the year, conducting research for its unscripted team’s upcoming projects. Her father is deafblind, and she would like to improve disability representation in content in order to educate the next generation and encourage creators with disabilities to enter the industry.

One of two 2019 winners of the YMA Andra Sheffer Scholarship, Jadiel Dowlin went on to create a YA sci-fi series called Zombra: Ghoul Detective, which Nelvana and Sinking Ship Entertainment put into development two years ago.