KIMMIRUT/LAKE HARBOUR - Vegetables were being chopped, pots were bubbling and garlic bread was being broiled in the busy kitchen at Qaqqalik School the morning of March 28.

Grade 12 student Iola Sagiaktuk, vice-principal Ed Flynn, community volunteer Carolyn Manuel and Grade 12 students Lysee Itulu and Natasha Nakashuk take a quick break at Qaqqalik School before feeding a hungry crowd of 30 people who were in the community for the Baffin Regional Chamber of Commerce trade show on March 28. - Emily Ridlington/NNSL photo

Several students, the vice-principal and community members were preparing food for 30 hungry visitors attending the Baffin Regional Chamber of Commerce trade show.

"I always help with the cooking," said Grade 12 student Iola Sagiaktuk who took on a lot of the responsibility in preparing the meal. He was up at 7 a.m. to help get things started for the day.

The students made vegetable soup, garlic bread, caesar salad, lasagna and marble cake topped with whipped cream and garnished with chocolate shavings.

Sagiaktuk said he likes cooking and was taught how to prepare food by the school's vice-principal Ed Flynn.

Flynn and Sagiaktuk spent the day before the lunch preparing five big pans of lasagna, totalling 75 portions.

"This group of students stepped up to the plate," said Flynn.

Students from Qaqqalik's after-school cooking program pitched in and made snacks for the trade show canteen including Easter cupcakes shaped like baskets filled with grass and Easter eggs and banana chocolate chip muffins along with other goodies.

The after-school program, made up of youths eight-years-old and up, meets Monday through Friday and sometimes on Saturdays for three to four hours each day. The program started in November through funding from Brighter Futures and the Aboriginal Diabetes Initiative.

"The kids just love it, it keeps them active and out of trouble," said Flynn.

He also said learning cooking skills opens up many possibilities for the students in the future.

Grade 12 student Lysee Itulu was a waitress during the luncheon and helped out with many of the last- minute preparations. She said it was a good way for her to get involved in the community. Itulu admitted that she, the other students and Flynn were tired but she said it was well worth it to see people enjoying the food.