INUVIK - On Thursday, Feb. 24, a mixed crowd of lucky elementary, junior and high school students got to take the afternoon off from class and watch a battle between a select group of students and teachers.

From left, Faith Rogers, Nicole Collison and Emily Rutherford cheer on their peers during the teachers versus students hockey game on Thursday, Feb. 24. - Kira Curtis/NNSL photo

"It was fun," said 13-year-old goalie Colton Greenough.

He said he didn't have any particular rivalries but he tried hard not to let "Rusty" score - Dave McIsaac. In the end, Greenough's eight years of hockey paid off and his team was able to overrun their educators.

"I think the students might have won this year," Samuel Hearne Secondary School teacher Chris Gilmour admitted Monday as he recapped his game against the kids.

He laughed, "I think they pulled out the victory by a score of 10-8."

The teams were chosen based on the students that were showing up for the high school ice time on Sunday nights at the Midnight Sun Complex.

"They had some good players out there and we had a lot of fun, which was obviously the goal," Gilmour said.

But it wasn't only fun and games on the ice. Building up to the afternoon event, both Samuel Hearne and Sir Alexander Mackenzie School students had charity on their minds as well.

"The other big thing was to make it a fundraiser for the Inuvik food bank," said Gilmour.

Every student in the high school is a member of one of six teams at the school.

"We made it a competition to see which team could bring the most dry goods to the hockey game," Gilmour said.

Anyone who brought in a non-perishable food item got a piece of paper with their name on it that they could fold into a paper airplane of their design - with the goal to get their plane from the stands to the centre of the rink. Those whose airplanes made it closest to the centre got prizes.

Not only the older kids got to unwind in this annual competition. Grade 5 and 6 students from the elementary school came to enjoy what appeared to be a David and Goliath match.

Students spanning every age group came out to jump and yell and wave their support.

Some of the junior high students spent entire art classes making posters to cheer on their peers.

"It is great to see, and I think everyone had a few parents out too which was wonderful to see," Gilmour said. "There seemed to be a lot of school spirit behind it."

Much to Greenough's satisfaction, Rusty got an assist, but no goal.

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