Karen Mackenzie
Northern News Services
Published Monday, November 5, 2007

PELLY BAY - A group of teachers-in-training from Kugaaruk will soon head to Winnipeg for a conference, thanks to a major last-minute fundraising effort.

With little time to spare before registration fees were due, a group of 10 Nunavut Teacher Education Program (NTEP) students and their instructor have managed to raise the almost $50,000 needed for the trip.

They will now attend the conference, called "Sharing our Success," on Nov. 22 and 23.

"It's going to be a good experience for all of us," said student Jeannie Illuitok.

Given its focus on aboriginal education, "we are hoping to come back with some ideas about how to develop education in the North, in our own community," added NTEP instructor Margaret Bentham.

Less than a month ago, the class began organizing bake sales, bingos, a dance and other events around the community to drum up some funds.

They also pounded the pavement looking for sponsoring agencies, turning up funding for three students from the Kitikmeot Economic Development Commission, among others.

"The whole class did a lot, each of them. They spoke out, some were very shy to speak out, but they did," said student Lutgarde Angutingunirk.

Angutingunirk said she herself had an added impetus to work hard at the fundraising - her daughter, Sandra Angutingunirk, is also in the class.

"I'm really thinking of her future, she's only 21 and she's got a lot ahead of her. Even if I don't get a ticket, I just want to make sure she goes. There are a few other students who are young. They've got lots of things ahead of them, and that's why I tried my best," she said.

Lutgarde, who taught Inuktitut classes for 10 years at the local school, said she is looking forward to exchanging ideas with other educators from across the country.

"My goal is to teach only in our language in our community, to have everything we teach in English now prepared to teach in Inuktitut," she explained.

Similarly, Illuitok said she looks forward to a workshop on aboriginal language programming at the conference, "to see how to keep the language strong in our own community."

The fundraising was as an example of how well the class works together day to day, added Lutgarde.

"If we didn't help each other, then maybe two or three would have dropped out. But we really helped each other and that's why we still have 10. Our goal is to all graduate, keep our class," Lutgarde said.