Lake Harbour (Mar 03/03) - After two years of fundraising, 17 students from Qaqqalik school have reached their goal.

They've raised enough money to participate in an exchange program with students from the South Shore Alternate school in Bridgewater, Nova Scotia.

"We've done penny sales, and some bingos. I'm in the cooking class and we cooked lunches for people to buy," said 15-year-old Petanie Pitsiulak.

The first part of the exchange will be a week-long visit from the 16 Bridgewater students to Kimmirut in April. There are a lot of activities already planned for this portion of the trip. They'll take part in print making, iglu building, traditional games and will even take a trip to the floe edge.

Marsha Nauss, a teacher at the Bridgewater school, said she wanted to take her students to Kimmirut, where she taught for a year.

"I lived in Kimmirut and taught up there. I wanted to take my kids on something big and life altering. There's nothing more life altering than the North," said Nauss.

The students are excited but they're also afraid. Nauss said most of them have never been on a plane before and so they are a little apprehensive. There's a couple of other small things on their minds as well.

"They're worried to death about how cold it might be," said Nauss.

Kimmirut students will go on their trip in early June. The top priorities on their lists, according to principal Edward Flynn, are taking in the warm weather and shopping.

"They're all very excited about going to Bridgewater. They'll be staying on a Navy ship and on top of this, there's shopping of course," said Flynn.

Each student will sleep in their own private room on HMCS Fraser, a de-commissioned Navy ship.

They'll visit museums and neighbouring towns.

"We're going to be swimming, horse back riding and stuff like that," said 16-year-old Rosie Akavak.

The students from Kimmirut raised $12,000 on their own for the trip. They also received a $4,500 donation from the Qikiqtani Inuit Association.

"The students could not believe their eyes, they were so excited because this cheque meant they could really go," said Flynn.

A lot of the money raised in Kimmirut will go toward hosting the visit by students from Nova Scotia. Whatever is left over will be used when the Kimmirut kids travel to Bridgewater.

The Government of Canada will fund travel costs.