INUVIK - As part of a long distance program, students of Samuel Hearne were treated to a gift from the United Kingdom.

The box was sent by a class in Kent, England. Both groups of students have been in communication since earlier this year.

Students from Samuel Hearne were treated to a gift from a school in England on June 18. Both classes participated in a live video conference via webcam. The students have been in contact since earlier this year. From left, Kyle Bilodeau, Danielle Deslauriers, Krista Rogers and Courtney Bilodeau open the gift that contained reading material and a webcam for the Inuvik students. - Dez Loreen/NNSL photo

Career development officer Brigitte Kay was one of the co-ordinators of the program.

Kay said the Arctic Voice program started a few months ago.

"The program allows a class of ours to have contact with a school in southern England," said Kay.

"The idea is to raise awareness of global warming and environmental issues in the North."

Kay said the program gives an opportunity for the Inuvik students to find out more about other places in the world.

"It's a good way to see what impacts global warming has had on students in other parts of the world," said Kay.

She said the program started with an e-mail requesting a partner in the program from the school in England.

"I got the e-mail and started looking for volunteers in the student body," explained Kay.

Seven students between Grades 8 and 11 showed an interest in the program.

Kay said that contact has been made through e-mail conversations and that care packages have been sent from both locations.

The first video and audio contact was made on June 18, when the seven Inuvik students participated in a live webcam conversation with the students from Kent, England.

Kay added that both lists of students are being matched up to be pen pals.

"We want them to communicate over a personal level over the summer," said Kay.

Krista Rogers was one of the students who took part in the live web broadcast.

She said the program has been fun and informative so far.

"Arctic Voices is about educating some students from England about our region," said Rogers.

Rogers said it was good to see them on the webcam and it was fun to answer some of their questions about Northern Canada.

"They asked about the weather and what we do for hobbies and things," she said.

Rogers said that even though the weather might be different, the two groups have much in common.

"We all like the same bands, we all like music, there is a lot we have in common with the students in England," said Rogers.

Tamara Voudrach is another student from Samuel Hearne who volunteered to act as an ambassador for the North.

She said learning about how the other students live is interesting to her.

"I like hearing about what they do and what things are like there," said Voudrach.

Voudrach said the only thing that she thinks makes the two groups different is their locations.

"We live in different places, other than that we're the same people," she said.

"I'd like to live in England, they have a rich history."