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RANKIN INLET - A group of five potential graduates from Rankin Inlet conducted research and enjoyed some relaxation while visiting Winnipeg, Ottawa and Quebec this past month.

The students were accompanied by Maani Ulujuk Ilinniarvik (MUI) teacher Katharine O'Connell.

Manni Ulujuk Ilinniarvik students Raymond Makpah, Katharine O'Connell (teacher), Bernice Kanayok, Becky Okatsiak and Kelly Kaludjak, back row from left, and Tia Friesen, front, had the opportunity to explore caves in ValdesMonts, Que., during their recent visit to Winnipeg, Ottawa and Quebec this past month. - photo courtesy of Katharine O'Connell

The youth raised much of the money for the trip, which allowed them to visit colleges and a university they may apply to this coming year.

O'Connell said it was a tremendous benefit for the students to observe some of the opportunities available to them after high school.

She said the students visited the Nunavut Sivuniksavut Program, Algonquin College, the University of Ottawa and Red River College in Winnipeg.

"This was a great experience because they got to meet some of the students who attend these schools and some of the professors who teach there," said O'Connell.

"One student has already been accepted to Red River College, so she was excited to meet some of the teachers and students there.

"We were able to tour the facilities to see the types of programs they offer and the equipment they use."

The students had varied interests at the schools.

Among the top programs they wished to check out were business, automotive, health care and the arts.

O'Connell said the students asked questions about the programs and got to see where they'd live while attending each school.

She said this marked the first year for an excursion of this nature for MUI students, and the cost of the trip limited the number of participating youth to five.

"The students who were interested in the trip had to fill out an application and take part in our fundraising.

"Those who were most involved with fundraising, and who really wanted to go the most, were the ones chosen.

"We were also able to take part in a number of other activities during our trip.

"We went to a couple of museums, then went on the haunted walk of Ottawa and saw a prison that was open in the 1800s, visited the Parliament Buildings and the Peace Tower, and went to an adventure park in Quebec."

O'Connell said a number of organizations helped with the project.

She said she hopes to double the number of students who take part in the 2010 trip.

"We owe a great deal of thanks to Kivalliq Air, First Air and Nunavut Tunngavik Inc., who all made very large donations towards our trip in the form of tickets, cash, freight and water for our students' canteen.

"We were also helped by Kativik Ltd., the Northern store, Nunavut Development Corp., Umingmak, Arctic Connections, Nav Canada and Arctech Designs.

"I'm looking forward to taking more students on next year's trip, and eventually being able to offer it to every student who's graduating."