Alisha-Jo Penney and Bridget Jeske, two Grade 4 students at Abbotsford School of Integrated Arts (ASIA) have been nominated at the 34th Annual Young Artists Awards to be held in Los Angles on May 5.
Bridget is nominated for her lead role as Lucy in the horror short film Rumpelstilskin. Alisha-Jo is nominated for her lead role as Lilly in the short film Like-Smoke.
Bridget was born in Abbotsford and started acting at age seven. Cheerful and ambitious, she is dedicated to the performing arts, where she enjoys singing, acting, competitive swimming, karate and film making. She has experience in film and TV that include lead, supporting and voice over roles.
Bridget has also been involved in youth opera productions and currently sings with Abbotsford’s Pacific Mennonite Children’s Choir.
Alisha-Jo is naturally creative, her recent short film Tumbling After has been accepted into seven international film festivals in the last two months and is ranking very favorably in a national Canadian competition for major production sponsorship and national distribution deal.
Alisha-Jo also started acting at age seven and loves it whether she is on stage or screen.
Now nine, Alisha-Jo was born in Stirling Scotland in the UK and moved with her family to Canada in September 2007.
Both young actresses are happy that each other has received a nomination and are also delighted to see that a number of other Vancouver and lower mainland based young actors have also been nominated.