Montreal, March 12, 2025 – Youth Media Alliance (YMA) is pleased to announce the nominees for their Awards of Excellence. The winners will be revealed during a gala evening on May 28th at CBC’s Glenn Gould Studio in Toronto. Based on the YMA’s Statement of Quality, jury members have selected the following nominees:

Award of Excellence for Best Program, Live Action Non-Scripted (Preschool, Ages 3-5)

• I Love My Name! - The Fabulous Show with Fay and Fluffy – produced by Lopii Productions Inc; aired on Family Jr
• Turtle - Indigenous Art Adventures – produced by APTN; aired on APTN

Award of Excellence for Best Program, Live Action Non-Scripted (Ages 6-9)

• I Dream of Ballet - Dream It To Be It – produced by Lopii Productions Inc; aired on TVO, Knowledge Network
• Anja - Green Squad – produced by Apartment 11 Productions; aired on TVOKids
• Ironworker - Trading Skills – produced by Riverbank Pictures; aired on TVO
• If You Say So - Old Enough – produced by Blue Ant Studios, aired on TVO

Award of Excellence for Best Program, Live Action Non-Scripted (Ages 9+)

• The Barren Grounds - David A. Robertson - Ainara's Bookshelf – produced by Turtlebox Productions; aired on TVOKids, marbleKids
• What's In a Frame - Media Stamped – produced by Sinking Ship Entertainment; aired on Telus Optik
• Pickleball - 604 - All Round Champion - Season 6 – produced by Blue Ant Studios; aired on TVO, BYUtv, Knowledge Network, PCCW Media

Award of Excellence for Best Program, Live Action Scripted (Preschool, Ages 3-5)

• Bunny Family Wedding - Mittens & Pants – produced by Windy Isle Entertainment; aired on CBC
• The Case of the Uncompromising Community – Wordsville – produced by Sinking Ship Entertainment; aired on TVOKids, WNET
• Odd Ones In - Odd Squad – produced by Sinking Ship Entertainment, BBC Studios Kids and Family; aired on TVOKids, PBS, BBC

Award of Excellence for Best Program, Live Action Scripted (Ages 6-9)

• Chickenosaurus Rex pr 1 - Dino Dex – produced by Sinking Ship Entertainment; aired on TVOKids, Amazon Prime, Knowledge Kids, SRC
• Ursus Maritimus – Jane – produced by Sinking Ship Entertainment; aired on Apple TV+
• Siblings - I Woke Up A Vampire – produced by WildBrain; aired on Family Channel, Netflix

Award of Excellence for Best Program, Live Action Scripted (Ages 9+)

• Help Jess - Louise Lives Large – produced by Tailored Films, Vérité Films, Storyhouse; aired on Family Channel
• The Wedding - Malory Towers – produced by WildBrain, King Bert; aired on Family Channel, CBBC, BYUtv
• Feels Like Home - Beyond Black Beauty – produced by Sinking Ship Entertainment, Leif Films; aired on Amazon Prime, Family Channel
• The Day the Music Schneid (103) - Davey & Jonesie’s Locker – produced by Blue Ant Studios; aired on Amazon Prime, Hulu

Award of Excellence for Best Gaming or Interactive Experience

• Ainara's Book Club – produced by Turtlebox Productions; available on https://www.ainarasbookclub.com/
• Echo Hunter – produced by CBC Kids; available on https://www.cbc.ca/kids/games/all/echo-hunter
• Dicey Escape – produced by Sinking Ship Entertainment; available on https://pbskids.org/oddsquad/games/dicey-escape

Award of Excellence, Outstanding Youth Ensemble

• Wordsville Cast - Sinking Ship Entertainment
• Davey & Jonesie’s Locker Cast - Blue Ant Studios
• All Round Champion - Season 6 - Cast - Blue Ant Studios

Award of Excellence, Outstanding Youth Performer

• Michela Luci - Dino Dex- Sinking Ship Entertainment
• Ava Louise Murchison - Jane - Sinking Ship Entertainment
• Ellora Lopez - Rosie's Rules - 9 Story Media, Brown Bag Films

Award of Excellence for Best Program, Short Form Content (Preschool, Ages 3-5)

• Hopscotch - Jeremy and Jazzy – produced by Vérité Films; aired on CBC
• Starstruck - Silly Paws – produced by CBC Kids; aired on CBC
• The Art Show / Giving Feels Good / Bathtime for Harry - Happy Place – produced by Imagine Create Media Inc.; aired on TVO
• Eitan and Kristen - Let's Be Friends – produced by Little Engine Moving Pictures; aired on Vimeo

Award of Excellence for Best Program, Short Form Content (Ages 6-9+)

• 104 - Clem - Armadillo Avalanche – produced by Blue Ant Studios; aired on Distribution 360 Inc.
• Stand-Alone Short Video - Benjamin Ojo – produced by Little Engine Moving Pictures; aired on Vimeo
• Getting Your First Betta Fish - Street Cents – produced by CBC Kids; aired on CBC

Award of Excellence for Best Program, Animation (Preschool, Ages 3-5)

• Understanding Tina – Caillou – produced by IoM Media Ventures Inc.; aired on WildBrain Television Inc.
• Lights! Camera! Save Eagle Creek! - Luna, Chip & Inkie: Adventure Rangers Go – produced by Knowledge Network, Epic Story Media, TFO, Canada Media Fund, Shaw Rocket Fund; aired on Knowledge Kids, KidoodleTV, YipeeTV, Apple TV+
• Sleepover Party Pooper / Great Growl-Mom - Let's Go, Bananas! – produced by 9 Story Media Group, Brown Bag Films; aired on CBC
• A Big Friend for Little Sadie - Dino Ranch – produced by Boat Rocker, Industrial Brothers; aired on CBC

Award of Excellence for Best Program, Animation (Ages 6-9+)

• Episode 1 - Butterfly Tale – produced by Les Productions Carpediem (BT) Inc; aired on CRAVE
• Episode 1 – SuperKlaus – produced by PVP Media; aired on Family Channel
• A Star is Born - Interstellar Ella – produced by Apartment 11 Productions, Fabrique Fantastique; aired on TVOKids, Knowledge Kids
• Pirates of the Cabbage'an - Total Drama Island – produced by Fresh TV Inc.; aired on Cartoon Network

Award of Excellence for Best Narrative Film or One-Off Special

• Snoopy Presents: Welcome Home, Franklin – produced by WildBrain; aired on Apple TV+
• Snoopy Presents: One-of-a-Kind Marcie – produced by WildBrain; aired on Apple TV+
• Strawberry Shortcake and the Beast of Berry Bog – produced by WildBrain; aired on Family Jr, Netflix
• Mr. Dressup: The Magic of Make-Believe – produced by Blue Ant Studios, Hawkeye Pictures, Prime Video, CBC; aired on Amazon Prime Video

Award of Excellence, Best Hosts or On-Air Personality of the year

• Ainara Alleyne (Ainara's Bookshelf)
• Fay and Fluffy (The Fabulous Show with Fay and Fluffy)
• Éric Arsenault, Shakira Botticelli, Sigfried Hemming, Kyle Meagher, Lisa Pryce (Green Squad)

Congratulations to all the nominees and we look forward to seeing you on May 28th! Visit www.ymamj.org for more details.

The 2025 Awards of Excellence are made possible through the participation of our sponsors: CBC Kids, Apartment 11 Productions, Canada Media Fund, APTN, Knowledge Network, Sinking Ship Entertainment, Landslide Entertainment, Lopii Productions, Spin Master, TVOKids, WildBraim, 9 Story Media Group, Epic Story Media & Epic Storyworld, and other partners.

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Source:

Valentin Verrier, Youth Media Alliance, alliance@ymamj.org, 514-971-9204