Ron Elliott
Northern News Services

Arctic Bay (Apr 17/00) - It sure is difficult keeping up with the energetic and industrious young adults who make up Inuujaq school's High School Cafe.

A non-profit volunteer group of students from Arctic Bay, the group continues to be a source of positive energy in the community.

At a recent meeting the students participated in a goal-setting session where many important issues about the future of the High School Cafe were discussed.

They developed a mission statement, which is divided into three parts: the school, the community and themselves.

Their mission in the school is to provide healthy snacks and coffee at low prices for the students and staff of Inuujaq school. They will complement other fund-raising committees, not compete with them, and they will participate in any school activities that promote the school.

In the community, the High School Cafe will help by volunteering their time to other organizations and to continue to be positive role models.

The Cafe members will continue to learn about themselves, to build confidence in their abilities, learn business and job skills and to continue to learn through travel.

All members are still very keen on the idea of starting their own bed and breakfast business. The group discussed this in detail because the venture would be a commitment of at least two years.

At this stage the students will now have to go to the hamlet of Arctic Bay and get a business license. They will also have to contact a bank and set up an account. They also reviewed their terms of reference, which will have to be sent out to consulting firms so a business plan can be produced.

Future projects

From April 8-15, some of the High School Cafe members will be travelling to Ottawa to participate in the Forum for Young Canadians.

The Forum is an organization which brings students across Canada to Ottawa each year to discover how government works. Seven members of the High School Cafe and one supervisor will join the 500 delegates participating in the event.

The students will take part in a number of activities in Ottawa, including sitting in on the House of Commons and the Senate chambers, talking to parliamentarians, and visiting the Supreme Court of Canada. They will also participate in a mock cabinet discussion, and take part in a debate on federal-provincial relations.

By the end of the week, the students will have learned a great deal about the way their government operates.

The High School Cafe is fund-raising to cover the costs of the trip. Letters have been sent out to government officials and Inuit organizations asking for assistance. Some help has been received by a bursary donated by the Canadian Club of Ottawa and the Department of Canadian Heritage.

In May, the High School Cafe will be participating in two special events. At the beginning of the month, a delegation will travel to Toronto to attend a Transitions Conference.

They will be travelling with two delegates from Rankin Inlet and two representatives from the GN's Department of Education in Arviat.

The purpose of the conference is to showcase how schools across Canada are forming partnerships with the business sector to provide work experience, job skills and leadership.

The delegation from Arctic Bay will present what they have accomplished with the High School Cafe and where they intend to go with their project.

The students will also undertake the second phase of the Visions Canada Cultural Exchange Program. This involves their exchange partners from the south coming to Arctic Bay from May 13-24.

They plan to give the students a glimpse of what it is like to live in a Northern community. It is hoped that this trip will include five days out on the land, a tour of Nanisivik mine, a talent show, Christmas games night and a cultural day where students will rotate around different activities like Inuit games, sewing duffle slippers, carving, building miniature qamutiit and dog-team rides.