KUGAARUK/PELLY BAY - Sandra Niptayuk says it was her love of children which sparked her interest in the teaching profession. After five years of hard work, the 23-year-old will be graduating next month from the Nunavut Teachers Education Program (NTEP) program.

Sandra Niptayuk films Jesse Apsaktaun and his son Jarome Apsaktaun dressed in traditional clothing. These shots along with others are going to be part of a documentary she and other students are working on as part of the Nunavut Teachers Education Program. Ten students including Niptayuk will graduate in June and will be able to work in the territory as teachers. - photo courtesy of Danny Christopher

"I always wanted to be a teacher when I was in elementary school and I want to teach them what I know about my culture and others," said Niptayuk.

She is one of 10 students enrolled in the NTEP program in Kugaaruk, a community-based program which prepares Inuit to work as teachers in Nunavut schools.

One of seven siblings, Niptayuk enrolled in the program directly from high school. She said it is important for young Inuit to learn about traditional activities such as learning, sewing and how to play Inuit games.

"They've got to learn it before it is lost," she said.

The program focuses on incorporating Inuit culture into the curriculum.

For the last couple of weeks, the NTEP students have been making small documentaries as part of a media production component about the community and interviewing elders about their experiences living in outpost camps.

One of Niptayuk's NTEP instructors, Danny Christopher, said he was impressed with how well she and the other students were able to work together on the documentary. He described Niptayuk as being a very strong student who is very capable.

"She is a driven student," he said.

One of the other students in the program is Niptayuk's mother. Niptayuk and her mother were in the same group making the documentary. She was the director of photography and her mother was the director. Niptayuk said she and her mother spend almost 12 hours a day together both in class and at home when she brings her daughter over to visit.

"When my mother is not in class, I feel so alone," joked Niptayuk.

She said there have been a number of times in class when she has wanted to call her mother "Mom" instead of using her first name.

Niptayuk and her mother both had job interviews for teaching positions last week. When they each graduate in June, they will receive Bachelor of Education degrees which qualifies them to teach kindergarten to Grade 6 students. Niptayuk said eventually she wants to get her qualifications to teach older students as well.

She said the plan for now is to hopefully land a teaching position in Kugaaruk and possibly teach in another community such as Cambridge Bay once she has a year of teaching experience under her belt.

The students, their families and the community, she said are quite excited for the graduation ceremony.

"It went pretty quick but it has been a long five years and we (Niptayuk and her classmates) are so ready to get out there and start teaching."