Northern News Services
Arviat (Mar 14/01) - Sometimes good news comes right out of the blue.
And so it was for Qitiqliq High principal Fred Durant in Arviat this past month when Canadian recording artist Susan Aglukark called to ask if it would be OK if she came and performed for students at the school.
Aglukark also visited schools in Rankin Inlet, Baker Lake and Whale Cove, as well as brief stops at the Repulse Bay and Coral Harbour airports.
The mini-tour was a chance for Aglukark to perform for the students, and also an opportunity to get them talking about issues affecting them.
"Susan told us she preferred the students in grades 7-12 because she would be talking about things more relevant to them than the younger kids," says Durant.
"She told me she wanted to get the students talking about self-esteem, developing a positive work ethic and the importance of living right."
Durant says school staff were just as, if not more, excited than the students about Aglukark's visit, adding the old adage is true about how difficult it is to be a hero in your home community.
"That being said, there's not too many people from here we can hold up in front of our students and say this is not the end of the world. There's a bigger world out there where anything is possible."
Aglukark told students if she can succeed and be happy outside of her own community, and still be just as happy when she returns, she's proof you don't have to be spoiled by fame and fortune.
"I'm still the same person who left here and that goes a long way in showing kids you don't have to change your personality to be successful," says Aglukark. "I wanted the kids to know there's a lot of people out there facing the same problems they are. "The first step is to get them to open up and talk and I think that's easier when they know they're talking to someone who can relate to what they're saying."
Aglukark says a lot of people came together to make her mini-tour possible.
"The Department of Health, the Kivalliq Inuit Association -- Bernadette Dean and Lorne Kusugak were just wonderful -- Calm Air was instrumental and the Department of Community Government and Transportation helped out, as well.
"A lot of people came through for this to happen on short notice."
