QIKIQTARJUAQ/BROUGHTON ISLAND - Their house teams are not anywhere close to Gryffindor, Slytherin, Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw like in the Harry Potter movies and books.

In fact, their names could not be any more different.

Students at Inuksuit School participate in one of the games as part of the house team competition. From left are Paul Kudlualik, teacher Mary Audlakiak and Aiden Nutaralak. The boys were taking part in a relay race where they quickly had to carry a ball squished between their backs from one end of the gym to the other and back again. - photo courtesy of Juanita Balhuizen

When you enter Inuksuit School their team names and logos are posted when you enter the building.

There are the Hunters with a bear paw as their logo who are strong and brave, the Canucks and the Predators inspired by hockey teams in the National Hockey League and then the animals - the Cheetahs and Spiders - and finally the Volcanoes.

The concept of having house teams came from a former teacher in Iglulik who Juanita Balhuizen, the school's vice-principal, used to work with.

"The kids look forward to it," she said.

And what they look forward to each month is the house team assembly.

Balhuizen said it is here where team members play traditional games, balloon tosses, relays and other sports to win points for their team. Another way to add to their tally is through positive participation points which can be handed out by teachers.

"It's awesome and I love it because you get to play with a lot of loud kids," said Grade 12 student Amy Qiyuqtak.

She is a member of the Predators who she said usually comes in second or third place in most of the events.

Qiyuqtak described how the teams are made of a couple students from each class so there is a good mixture of sizes, ages and abilities.

"All the kids, we play together," she said.

At the end of the semester the winning team gets pizza party and a movie.

What also might be just as good as pizza and a movie is the fact that there is "no paperwork for the rest of the period," Qiyuqtak said.

As of the week of Jan. 10, the Volcanoes were winning with 55 points but the Hunters were not far behind with 54 points. It was then the Cheetahs with 51, the Predators with 36, the Canucks with 30 and the Spiders with 26 points.

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