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INUVIK
For the second year in a row, elementary school students from kindergarten through Grade 6 are being given the opportunity to spend a day out on the land.

Before checking the nets under the ice, Grade 4 students Jocelyn Cole, left, Jasmine Firth, Lauren Ross, Kiana Goeson, Marshall Brown and, in the back, Jenny Zhang warm up by the bonfire Nov. 26. - Danielle Sachs/NNSL photo

The two-week program run out of East 3 takes classes of students to a temporary bush camp set up on the edge of the Jimmy Adams Peace Trail. From there, they spend a full day ice fishing, warming up by the fire, learning about living off the land and snaring rabbits.

"It's a really successful program and it shows you don't need a lot of money for transportation to and from the school," said Donna Johns.

On Nov. 26, it was a group of Grade 4 students who were out mixing fun with learning.

"Everyone has to walk from the school to here. We spend the full day outside, then walk back for the end of the day. You don't need money for a cabin or Ski-Doo," said Johns.

The knowledge being shared is important to pass down, said Jimmy Kalinek, who set the fish net under the ice on the Mackenzie River and also helped with the weekend moose hunt earlier in the fall.

"Any kind of education on the land is good education," he said.

"A lot of this knowledge is lost and, for some of them, their parents know how to do it but for whatever reason they haven't brought the kids out. This is a way where they can go home and talk to their families, maybe encouraging them to go back out," said Kalinek.

The students are encouraged to move constantly to stay warm, from building snow sculptures in the shapes of different animals to sliding onto Boot Lake after fishing and lunch.

"You can get outside and play, even in the cold," said Jason Dayman, vice principal of the elementary school.

Outdoor education is important, said Kalinek.

"You can see the ones that get cold faster. They're not used to being outside and maybe they play video games inside all day."

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