RANKIN INLET - A student and teacher from Rankin Inlet have nothing but the highest praise for their time spent on the Schools on Board program earlier this month.

Kayla Bruce of Rankin Inlet, right, helps a crew member wash the equipment on-board the icebreaker, Amundsen, during the Schools on Board program in August of 2010. - photo courtesy of Schools on Board

Schools on Board is an outreach program of the ArcticNet research program, which conducts Arctic research from the state-of-the-art Canadian icebreaker, CCGS Amundsen.

Begun in 2004, the program provides authentic science and research experiences to high school students and teachers, and inspires students to consider careers in science, research and the environment.

This year, program participants joined the ArcticNet science teams in Iqaluit, and then sailed through the Northwest Passage to Kugluktuk.

They were introduced to the research objectives and methods of numerous science teams, with different research disciplines, from institutions across Canada.

Rankin science teacher Katharine O'Connell said the trip was an awesome experience.

O'Connell said after taking in the visitor's centre in Iqaluit, and spending some time with a local elder who wrote a book on the medicinal uses of Arctic plants, she and Rankin Grade 12 student Kayla Bruce boarded the icebreaker by helicopter and headed out on their adventure.

She said once the trip was over, they flew to Yellowknife from Kugluktuk and then back to Rankin.

"We worked with scientists from all over Canada on different topics related to the Arctic, and it was just an incredible learning experience," said O'Connell.

"We studied invertebrates and, also, tiny little organisms you can only see with a microscope.

"We took part in seabed mapping using a geographic information system and learned about contaminants related to the Arctic."

O'Connell said the students were able to go into the on-board labs and use the scientists' equipment.

She said one of the more interesting components was watching the students examine a profile of the water.

"The students had to first determine what level and depths they wanted to take their water from, and then analyze it for chlorophyll.

"They also had to look at organisms that are photosynthetic, meaning they use the sun's energy."

O'Connell said the wildlife on the trip was stunning.

She said the group saw 11 polar bears and entered Dexterity Fjord on Baffin Island, something only about 200 humans can claim.

"It was amazing to work with so many great scientists who are interested in different areas, and to see how all of their particular areas relate to climate change in different ways.

"I was only in the Kivalliq before this trip, so I didn't realize how diverse the landscape is in the other two regions and how different the culture can also be. A lot of people would never get this experience, so I'm pretty amazed I was able to do it with one of my students."

Bruce was the only student from Nunavut to take part in the program, and said she'd rate the experience as the trip of a lifetime.

She said she enjoyed many aspects of the voyage, especially getting the chance to see the different Nunavut landscapes along the way.

"It was incredible to see how vast and different Nunavut really is," said Bruce.

"You don't realize it when you're home in Rankin, but it was awesome to see the contrast between the three regions as we sailed through."

Bruce said she also enjoyed spending time with the scientists on the trip.

She said lowering nets to the bottom of the ocean and seeing what came up was an interesting experience.

"There were so many different organisms that came up in the nets.

"We picked through it and got to see brittle fish, sea stars and all sorts of different things.

"The scientists were all very friendly and easy to interact with.

"We played Rock Band with them one night, as well as Inuit games, and also got to go up on the helicopter with a bunch of them."

Bruce said all the students got along very well during the trip.

She said the youths from southern Canada had no shortage of questions for those who live in the North.

"Most of the talk was about the North, so I really got to share a lot.

"The people from down south really didn't talk much about where they're from, but they were very interested in the North because they didn't know much about what life here is all about.

"I'd strongly recommend this program to any student thinking about getting involved with it.

"It's the trip of a lifetime and you're never going to get another chance to do it."

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