Iqaluit (June 23/03) - It's the end of the school year and the end of an era at Inuksuk high school in Iqaluit.

Nick Newbery, founder of the school's highly regarded Terry Fox Program, has been teaching in Iqaluit since 1986. At the end of this school year, he's heading into retirement -- well, almost.

"Next year, I'm going to revise seven junior high teaching manuals I've written," said Newbery.

But the following year, he will leave Iqaluit and move down south.

"I'm hoping to teach some university courses and they'll be Inuit studies courses, so really it's a continuation of what I've been doing all this time," said Newbery.

The Terry Fox Program came about almost 10 years after Newbery came North, working in communities like Taloyoak, Panniqtuuq and Qikiqtarjuaq.

He felt classes being offered in Nunavut were not relating to the students. Newbery was here teaching students about farm animals and plants.

"In the Terry Fox Program everything is about the North. If you're learning to read, you're learning to read about the North," he explained.

The Gr. 9 Terry Fox program started in 1986 and was designed for students who were having trouble at school. It's not a conventional classroom setting -- students go out into the community, onto the land and learn things that are relevant to their lives and culture.

"The point of the year is to give them some confidence and some pride in their culture. If they achieve that, then we're successful," said Newbery.

They build self-esteem by seeing what a difference they can make. And they've certainly made a difference in the lives of elders across the capital. Students from the program regularly got together with the elders to play games or sing songs.

Newbery said he's proud of all the students who have completed the Terry Fox Program. He just hopes that changes will be made in Nunavut's education system to ensure the rest of their school experiences are beneficial.

"I came North in 1976. There were almost no materials in the schools relevant to Northern children. I hoped that would have changed by the time I left, but it hasn't," he said.

Although the Terry Fox Program will not be continued at Inuksuk, Newbery said an alternative will take it's place.

He said it won't be difficult to get another program going. Newbery's received so much support from Iqalungmiut, about $30,000 a year, he's sure the next group will be able to do the same.

He said he's learned more than he'll ever be able to teach.