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LLI GOLINE/NORMAN WELLS - English is a school subject that doesn't always lend itself to hands-on learning. However, students in Grace Engen's Grade 8/9 class at Mackenzie Mountain school in Norman Wells are learning the works of Shakespeare with the help of hand puppets.

Engen said the language in Shakespeare's works can be difficult to understand so getting the students directly involved gives them incentive to work though the difficult language.

Kathleen T'Seleie, right, and Siobhan Quigg created puppets to play the roles of Octavius and Brutus in Shakespeare's 'Julius Caesar.' --photo courtesy of Wanda Quigg

"I started by asking the older youth if they wanted to form a youth committee and I put up some signs," said Ovayuak.

The group began with five committee members and has since grown to eight. They held their first meeting in September and since then have been fundraising and holding regular bi-monthly meetings.

Lennie Gruben, 14, is vice-chair of the committee. He said he joined because he wants to help out in the community.

"I just wanted to make a difference," he said

He has a whole list of programs they're hoping to start.

"We have sports, arts, drum dancing, sewing, and meeting with the elders," said Gruben.

He said the committee is going to set up regular times for these programs and take the lead in organizing them.

In order to combat boredom in the community, the board decided to first use some available funds to purchase three guitars, a karaoke machine and some new sound equipment. They are going to organize karaoke nights at the youth centre.

Committee member Matthew Steen said he is hoping to share his musical abilities by giving some informal guitar lessons at the youth centre.

In forming the committee, the youth have shown responsibility for taking control of the organization. One of the committee's first decisions was to hold an auction to sell off some of the youth centre's old furniture because the space was too cluttered.

"Now there's more room to move around," said Ovayuak.

Gruben and Steen also held a cake raffle at the auction. The two teens raised $250 by raffling off a single cake.

The committee has decided to purchase a ping-pong table as soon as they have raised enough money.

Gruben said he and the youth committee have talked about building onto the existing centre to make it larger but that is still many years down the road. For now they will be focusing on short-term goals, fundraising, and having fun along the way.