KIVALLIQ
Two Kivalliq teachers were honoured for touching the lives of their students this past month.

Thank You for Making a Difference campaign grand-prize-winning teacher Mary Tegumiar, left, was nominated by student Tiffany Putulik at Tusarvik School in Repulse Bay this past month. - photo courtesy of Julia MacPherson

The Nunavut Teacher Association's Thank You for Making a Difference (TYFMAD) campaign calls for students to write a note thanking a teacher who has made a difference in their lives.

The association received more than 2,000 entries for this year's awards.

Regional winners receive an iPad mini, and their student nominators get a digital camera and canvas painting.

The grand-prize winner receives two First Air tickets, and their nominator gets a computer and printer.

Tusarvik School Inuktitut teacher Mary Tegumiar couldn't have asked for a better 49th birthday present, when she came to school following a major blizzard in Repulse Bay (Naujaat) and was asked if she knew she had won.

Tegumiar had no idea what her fellow teacher was talking about, and was blown away to learn she was the TYFMAD grand-prize winner.

She was nominated by Grade 9 student Tiffany Putulik.

Tegumiar began as a student-support assistant at Tusarvik in 1982-83, before heading to college in Iqaluit to become a teacher in 1996.

She returned to Tusarvik in 2000, where she's remained ever since.

Tegumiar said it's very important to her to make a connection with her students.

She said too many Inuit youth can hardly speak Inuktitut, and she wants to do whatever it takes to reverse that trend.

"It's very, very important for these kids to learn to speak and write Inuktitut," said Tugumiar.

"When I'm working with younger kids, especially, seeing them learn new words in Inuktitut is one of the coolest things about what I do.

"Our language is starting to struggle here now, too, and I think a good part of that is because of technology.

"But many youths do notice they're starting to lose their language, and we work together to try and get back what they're losing."

Grade 7 teacher Denise Cooper of Jonah Amitnaaq Secondary School in Baker Lake was the TYFMAD regional winner for the Kivalliq

She was nominated by student Aranxa Tunguaq.

Cooper has been in Baker for the past 20 years, after spending a year in Arviat and two in Coral Harbour.

She said being named the regional winner was a very nice surprise.

"I was honoured by the very wonderful words Aranxa wrote to have me selected for this," said Cooper.

"But there are many other people around me who work just as hard, love their jobs just as much, and love working with their students just as much as I do.

"It's very important to work hard and reach out to make that connection with each of our students, but, usually, it's not a very difficult task.

"If you love your job and students, then putting in that little bit of extra effort to make a connection with them comes quite naturally."

Cooper said she's enjoyed every minute teaching in Baker.

She said each year brings new students, ideas and, sometimes, staff.

"I embrace all of the changes that come in.

"I want to continue working where I do because I've had so many good years working with students and parents here.

"I'm now starting to teach children of the students I taught formerly.

"It's very nice to be able to know the families and parents in such a positive way."