Darrell Greer
Northern News Services

Rankin Inlet (June 19/02) - Kivalliq students put in their best showing ever at the Canada-wide Science Fair in Saskatoon, Sask., this past month.

The Kivalliq students brought home two fourth-place finishes from their categories in the event, worthy of honourable mentions.

A total of five of the nine Nunavut projects entered in the Canada-wide Science Fair received honourable mentions.

Chris Cooper, Kiah Hachey and Nadia Aaruaq, all of Baker Lake, received honourable mentions for their projects.

Qitiqliq high teacher Rob Davies of Arviat was one of the chaperons to make the trip with the students.

He says the group did Nunavut proud at the event.

"I can't say enough about how well our students did at the fair and the way they handled themselves," says Davies. "They were true ambassadors for Nunavut during their stay."

Grade 8 student Kelli McLarty of Rankin Inlet was another Kivalliq student who had her project entered at the national fair.

McLarty says she really enjoyed the event and was impressed with many of the projects on display.

She made many friends from across the country, and as far away as Australia, who she still keeps in touch with via e-mail.

"We had a lot of fun in Saskatoon. We had our own dorm at the university and that was really cool," says McLarty.

"The fair itself was great and we also got to do a lot of other fun things like go swimming and bowling."

McLarty says anyone who has a chance to see the Canada-wide Science Fair should seize the opportunity.

She says the projects alone are well worth the trip.

"There were students there who invented their own devices, including water crafts and a disposable pooper scooper," he recalls. "The coolest was one girl's computer program project. "She could make the water in the bathtub fill up to the temperature and level she programmed into the computer.

"A bell would ring to tell her when the water reached the desired level and temperature.

"Now that's cool."