PANNIQTUUQ/PANGNIRTUNG - Zip-lining through the rainforest, kayaking in the shadow of a slumbering volcano, crocodile hunting with classmates - just another beautiful day in paradise for a group of Pangnirtung students, who travelled to Costa Rica this spring for the adventure of a lifetime.

Clara Akulukjuk, left, Gina Mary Mike, Kim Chapelle, Aksayuk Kilabuk, Halie MacNeil, Paulette Metuq and Loreeta Nowyook soak up the sunshine in Costa Rica. - photo courtesy of Chris Smith

"Our guide said in the beginning, 'it's another beautiful day in paradise.' I said that every day after. Every day was beautiful," said 17-year-old Paulette Metuq.

Metuq was one of 12 members of the Pangnirtung Youth Leadership Initiative (PYLI) who made the tropical trek from May 21 to June 1.

The youth group, which was founded in 2006 at Attagoyuk high school, fundraises every year to send a group somewhere exotic each spring.

"This gives them the opportunity to see parts of the world and experience new cultures. And it gives them a reason to stay in school," said teacher Halie MacNeil.

This year group members chose Costa Rica as their destination and raised about $75,000 through movie nights, loonie-toonie sales and a letter-writing campaign.

Accompanied by teachers MacNeil and Kim Chapelle, RCMP officer Chris Smith and student support Keith Angnakak, they toured much of the country.

The group took part in a crocodile hunt, visited nature reserves and explored the area surrounding a volcano.

"For me, moving from hotel to hotel was amazing. And second was the zip-lining," said Hugh John Karpik, 18. "You start from this little hut place and zip-line from station to station high above the ground. You could pretty much control the speed, but I went pretty fast."

Fresh fruit, swimming and the warm rain factored high on Metuq's list of highlights.

"It was humid, mostly hot all the time. And I loved the rain," she said. "And I loved the food there. I miss the fresh fruit. Every morning we would have pineapples, mangoes, grapes."