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INUVIK
After dropping out of high school five years ago, an Inuvik student has received recognition from the territory for her commitment to literacy and being a role model for other youth.

Clarissa Rogers won the The Ministerial Literacy Award (Youth Learner) for work at the Sunchild e-learning school. Rogers returned to school after five years away from learning and has become extremely dedicated to education. - Samantha Stokell/NNSL photo

Clarissa Rogers, 22, of Inuvik won the Ministerial Literacy Award for her hard work at the Sunchild E-Learning school, located in the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation building. She attended a ceremony in Yellowknife on Sept. 27 and said she felt overwhelmed by emotion during her acceptance speech.

"I started my speech and thought here comes the tears. It was one of the biggest things, just being there and accomplishing so much and this program. It just makes me so happy," Rogers said. "When they said I was a role model for youth in the region, I didn't even think about that. It just melted my heart."

Rogers dropped out of high school to help her single mother raise her five younger siblings – four sisters and a brother. She worked cashier jobs to make sure there was enough money for the family, but now that her siblings have grown up, she decided to head back to school.

"It's my time," Rogers said. "Sure it's hard when you think about going back to school, but then I think about getting an education and how good life will be in the future. Life's not easy."

'Hard at times'

Before attending Sunchild E-Learning, she tried several months at the Aurora College Learning Centre, but found it stressful. Rogers then heard about Sunchild and applied. She's attended since February 2011 and enjoys it.

"I want to get an education and it doesn't matter how hard it is," she said. "It's hard at times, but at the same time, it's time to go on with my life."

Sunchild E-Learning is an online high school diploma program, designed by Sunchild First Nation in Alberta to create an educational system that suits aboriginal students' needs. Students log in to the computer during class time and can speak with the teacher through text messaging or a microphone.

In Inuvik the program is co-ordinated by the Aboriginal Skills and Employment Training Strategy. Terry Koenig, mentor of the Inuvik program who keeps students on track and the office running, said Rogers deserves the award.

"She worked hard in class. She's just really a hard worker," Koenig said. "Clarissa completed Math 30 in two and a half months instead of five. It's her overall attitude."

It's those math classes that really get Rogers excited. When she first opened the letter saying she received a literacy award she was confused.

"The first thing that came into my head was English and I hate English," she laughed. "I want to try and go to college and be an accountant because I love math."

Rogers is completing her Grade 11 classes and has maybe a year and a half left before she will graduate with her high school diploma.

Other plans include attending a conference in Saskatoon for indigenous young women in November. The four-day workshop gives aboriginal women between the ages of 16 and 25 an opportunity to come together and discuss what needs to change in communities.

"We will talk about life and the hard things in life, like family violence," Rogers said. "It's good to talk about."

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