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CHESTERFIELD INLET/REPULSE BAY
Scott Sammurtok of Victor Sammurtok School in Chesterfield Inlet and Blanche Tegumiar of Tusarvik School in Repulse Bay are Kivalliq's male and female science students of the year.

Scott Sammurtok of Victor Sammurtok School in Chesterfield Inlet was named Kivalliq's top male science student of the year earlier this month. - photo courtesy of Glen Brocklebank

The announcement was made by the Kivalliq Science Educators Community (KSEC) earlier this month.

The winners received a laptop, backpack and certificate of achievement.

The KSEC Science Award is given to a graduating male and female student who demonstrate an interest and achievement in science, participate in school and regional science fairs/camps, and are interested in pursuing post-secondary education in a sciencerelated field.

Scott, 17, said he learned of the award shortly after returning to Chester from the Canada-Wide Science Fair in Charlottetown, P.E.I.

He said hearing the news was amazing after everything he's accomplished during the past two years.

"My performance in school changed dramatically during the past two years and I'm proud of what I was able to do in that time," said Scott.

"I owe a lot to my teacher and mentor Glen Brocklebank.

"He helped guide me with everything - Northern Youth Abroad (NYA), my schoolwork and the science fair - and, even though I'm graduating, I was very happy to hear he was returning to Victor Sammurtok School next year.

"Glen motivated me so much, I've become the person I always wanted to be."

Attending a post-secondary institute is the next goal Scott has set for himself.

Scott's applied to the First Nations Technical Institute near Toronto, Ont.

He said he wants to take the fixed-wing aviation program and learn to be a pilot.

"I'm pretty excited about it, and I hope to hear if I've been accepted sometime during the next two months.

"I'll be spending most of this summer taking part in the international phase of the NYA program.

"I'm leaving on June 27 to spend six weeks in Botswana, Africa.

"I can't wait to get on that massive Airbus and fly to England."

Tegumiar, 18, said it was great to find out she had won the female Science Award.

She said she'd worked hard at science during her senior high years and always found the subject interesting.

"I'm going to take a year off from school, and then I hope to attend post secondary for either global studies or photography," said Tegumiar.

"I'm leaning toward applying to Algonquin College, but I'm right in the middle over which course I'd rather take.

"I'm starting to take a lot of pictures and I really enjoy it.

"I have a summer job as a janitor at Tusarvik school, but I'm not sure what I'm going to do next year except take it slow."

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