Darrell Greer
Northern News Services

Rankin Inlet (Jan 09/06) - Grade 8 students at Maani Ulujuk high school in Rankin Inlet were given the chance to achieve something a little different this past month.

The students took part in the first Junior Achievement program to be delivered in the Kivalliq in more than a decade.

A Kivalliq Junior Achievement program started in the early 1990s fizzled out after a few years.

Robert Connelly of Economic Development and Transportation has been introducing Kivalliq youth to the Junior Achievement program for the past few years at the Rural Forum gathering in Brandon, Man.

He said the program is divided into five modules aimed at specific grades.

The modules include business basics, dollars with sense, economics of staying school, JA titan and company program - a student venture.

"Even at this young age, students have to learn they need a good education to achieve the lifestyle they may have in mind for themselves, especially if they want to own their own home, vehicle and Ski-Doo, for example," said Connelly.

Debbie Smith of Junior Achievement Manitoba came to Rankin to help train volunteers Connelly, Hamish Tatty, Pakak Sigurdson, Tara Tootoo-Fotheringham, Charlotte Hickes, Charlene Tasseor and Kandace Kusugak to deliver the program.

Connelly said the group intends to deliver a module in at least one other Kivalliq community by the end of this fiscal year, and reach all seven Kivalliq hamlets as soon as possible after that.

"The committee we've set up is working with the Baffin Chamber of Commerce, which wants to set up a Nunavut-wide chapter.

"Nunavut is the only province or territory without a Junior Achievement chapter.

"We want to change that because it's a valuable program for youth to be involved with."