Kerry McCluskey
Northern News Services

Arctic Bay (June 24/02) - Pride resonated during the long-distance call as Audrey Qamanirq discussed the award she won.

A kindergarten/Grade 1 teacher at Inuujaq school in Arctic Bay, Qamanirq learned earlier this month she'd won the Nunavut Sivuniksavut (NS) Award for Teaching Excellence.

NS, an Ottawa-based transition program for Inuit between high school and university or the workforce, created the award in 2000 to honour Nunavut educators who've helped set high standards for their students.

Qamanirq won the award for her teaching dedication, particularly in Inuktitut instruction and cultural education.

"I was surprised, very surprised," said Qamanirq, a 1994 graduate of the Northern Teacher's Education Program.

Qamanirq said she received a call from one of the students who nominated her, advising her she'd won the award. She said she felt proud of the accomplishment.

"There were a couple of students from my home community in that program (NS) and both of them nominated me," she said.

"I guess they nominated me because they liked my teaching, especially when I taught Inuktitut at the high school."

She added that she got to know the students particularly well during her four-year stint at the co-director of the Kicking Caribou theatre troupe -- a project she is currently working on revitalizing.

"I'm in the process of gathering props and Inuit clothing. I'm doing that this summer."

The Kicking Caribou was known across Canada for the role it played in helping drastically reduce the number of suicides and attempted suicides in Arctic Bay. Participants performed a series of emotional, educational theatre productions during the troupe's history.