QIKIQTARJUAQ/BROUGHTON ISLAND - Students from Inuksuit School and students from a high school in Ottawa will have the chance to learn about each other's lives this spring as they participate in a YMCA exchange program.

Clockwise from upper left, Stanley Aliqatuqtuq, Christopher Arreak, Daniel Kooneeliusie, Charlie Nutaralak, Inuktitut teacher Jeannie Toomasie, Joe Mosa Nookiguak, Viky Kooneeliusie, Kaya Qappik and Melanie Nookiguak of Inuksuit School in Qikiqtarjuaq are going on a student exchange to Ottawa. Missing from the photo are Laila Alookie, Brian Kooneeliusie, Nathan Kunilusie, Grade 9-10 teacher Scott Chisholm and Grade 11-12 teacher Andrea Bartnikas. - photo courtesy of Andrea Bartnikas

From May 12 to 20, 12 students from Ottawa's Lester B. Pearson High School will be in Qikiqtarjuaq, then from May 25 to June 2, 11 students from Qikiqtarjuaq will visit Ottawa.

"We are going to teach them about our culture, community, how to build an iglu and are going to take them on a fishing trip," said Christopher Arreak, a Grade 12 student at Inuksuit School.

He said he is looking forward to going on the exchange, and hopes to make new friends and learn about a different culture.

While Arreak has been to Ottawa twice before he said he is still nervous about going to a big city.

"I am very excited and I think it is going to be interesting," said Arreak.

The students from the south, who have been taking an aboriginal studies course, will also go hunting. The Inuksuit students aslo plan to teach them words in Inuktitut.

"It is good for our students to take on a leadership role," said Andrea Bartnikas, Inuksuit's Grade 11/12 math and science teacher.

Bartnikas said it will be interesting for her students to go to the high school in Ottawa as it has more than 1,000 students, more than twice the population of Qikiqtarjuaq.

The students have been busy fundraising for the trip with a cake walk, 50/50 draws and plans for a bake sale.

The money raised will pay for the elders' time demonstrating traditional activities, food and gas for the snow machines while the Ottawa students are visiting. She said the YMCA is paying the airfare for all the students.