Repulse Bay (Jun 07/06) - A trip to Ontario this past month was among the year's highlights for a group of 16 senior students from Tusarvik school in Repulse Bay.

The trip was the return half of a YMCA-sponsored exchange program between Tusarvik school and Centre Wellington District high in Fergus, Ont.

Carrie Angotingoar and Marsha Kringuk, right, of Tusarvik school in Repulse Bay, plant trees during an exchange program with Centre Wellington District high in Fergus, Ont., this past month. - photo courtesy of Brent Urie

A group of Ontario students and teachers visited Repulse in April.

Teacher Brent Urie says the program began when the Ontario school contacted Tusarvik to see if it would be interested in being the sister school in the exchange.

He says the visits went quite well in both Repulse and Fergus.

"A number of the students feel more confident about travelling to larger centres now than they may have in the past," Urie says.

"It was the first trip out of the North for most of the youth who went."

The Repulse students were treated to an impressive lineup of activities during their stay in Ontario, including visits to Niagara Falls, the Air Canada Centre, CN Tower and the MuchMusic facility.

Urie says the fact that Fergus is a fairly rural town added to the exchange, with a visit to a dairy farm and other rural activities being well received by the Repulse youth.

He says there was a lot of good interaction between students of the two schools.

"The Ontario kids were quite curious, asked a lot of questions and really did a nice job of making our students feel comfortable.

"One of the best times they had was an outdoor music concert.

"That gave them a chance to relax and enjoy themselves in a relatively unstructured setting with friends they made during the week.

"Another smaller gathering they had with Susan Aglukark was also quite nice."

Another popular event was meeting some of the VJs at the MuchMusic and City TV building.

Urie says the students enjoyed seeing how it all comes together for TV.

"Some of them were blown away by how much bigger it all appears on TV.

"You don't realize how tiny the studios really are unless you actually see them."

Urie says as good as the exchange is, it's not financially suitable to be an annual event in Repulse due to the high cost of hosting.

He says every four years would be more realistic.

"You also have to raise money to help with your travel to the south, so it is cost restrictive.

"But, it is a great program that fulfills its obligation to expose students to a different way of life.

"When you take part in the program, you realize it is worth the effort."