Darrell Greer
Northern News Services

Repulse Bay (Nov 09/05) - A small group of students in Repulse Bay are nailing a new program being taught at Tusarvik school.

School principal Leonie Aissaoui had a proposal accepted by Kivalliq Partners in Development to fund a small carpentry program at Tusarvik.

Sandy Natseck learns new skills during the carpentry and construction course at Tusarvik school in Repulse Bay - photo courtesy of Leonie Aissaoui

The first four in the program are Kevin Mablik, Joe Jr. Angotingoar, Sandy Natseck and Patrick Putulik.

More students will join after earning their physical-education credits.

Aissaoui says while the first group is all male students, the girls are asking to take part as well.

"Our female students want to do more than cooking, sewing and skin preparation," says Aissaoui.

"The girls are ready to get their hands on the tools."

The shop program is divided to allow another group of students to work with elder Sata Kidlapik to learn about traditional tools.

Aissaoui says the two programs compliment each other and allow Kidlapik and fellow shop teacher Alan Robinson to upgrade student skills in both areas.

She says the carpentry students will learn basic safety and manual-tool skills before moving on to power tools.

For their first project, the students made a coffin for the school's annual Halloween haunted house.

The students receive academic credit for the module.

"We'll continue the program as long as the $25,000 we received lasts us.

"The money has to be spent before the end of March."

Aissaoui says the two programs are appealing to some students who are struggling with traditional school subjects.

She says the more they struggle with their subjects, the more their attendance drops off as they lose interest in school.

"We hoped these types of programs would encourage more students to keep coming to school and it's been working.

"We're seeing more and more show up for the cultural and shop classes.

"That tells us the interest is there and, hopefully, we'll be able to find additional funding to build upon the foundation we've started."