Rankin Inlet (June 25/03) - Additional funding to the Foundation for the Advancement of Aboriginal Youth (FAAY) is helping five Kivalliq students further their education.

The additional funds have been provided by the Atuqtuarvik Corporation of Rankin Inlet and will allow for one new scholarship and two new bursaries over the next two years.

That brings the total to four scholarships and eight bursaries.

The scholarships are for post-secondary students and are valued at $2,500 per year.

Each bursary is worth $750 per year for advancement in secondary education.

This year two students from the Kivalliq region have been awarded scholarships and four were granted bursaries.

Gerald Anawak, 29, from Rankin Inlet and Gloria Kowtak, 22, of Whale Cove are the scholarship recipients.

Anawak is studying geography at the University of Winnipeg and is a graduate of Arctic College's management program.

Kowtak is in her first year of the teacher education program at Nunavut Arctic College. She also graduated from the Nunavut Sivuniksavut program at Algonquin College In Ottawa. She plans to teach elementary school in Rankin.

Kaviq Kaluraq, 16, from Baker Lake, Bobbie Nakoolak, 28, from Coral Harbour and Rosalinde King, 34, from Arviat are the bursary recipients.

Kaviq, a Grade 11 student, is best known for her on-air personality on IBC's Qaujisaut. It is her plan to study science after graduation.

Nakoolak is enroled in the adult basic education program at Nunavut Arctic College. Her motivation for enhancing her education is for the benefit of her four children.

King is also in the adult basic education program and a mother of four. Her goal is to seek employment in office administration following graduation.

This is the second year of the Atuqtuarvik Corporation's three-year commitment to FAAY.

"Atuqtuarvik Corporation's sponsorship will be a significant and tangible demonstration of our committment to building capacity in Nunavut communities," said John Hicks, chairperson.

The investment will ensure an influx of trained Inuit youth in the future, according to Atuqtuarvik.

"This support will benefit our corporation by helping to train and educate the next generation of Nunavut leaders and those are the people we will do business with," said Ken Toner, president.

Toner said they expanded the program this year because of the volume of applications they had last year.

Since 1994 FAAY has awarded over $1 million to 720 aboriginal students in Canada.

Over the three years Atuqtuarvik has committed $55,000 to the program.

Next year, they will review the funding to determine if it will be continued.

"If we find it has satisfied our needs we will continue with it," said Toner.