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IQALUIT
Sitting in an office chair festooned with balloons, Eelee Higgins almost seemed to be lighter than air herself as Premier Eva Aariak congratulated the retiring teacher in front of a gym full of students.

Former Joamie school teacher and principal Eelee Higgins started her career in 1972. - photo courtesy of Elee Higgins

"She probably taught more children than there are of you here today," pointed out Aariak.

Students and staff past and present threw the surprise party Dec. 19 in the gymnasium for the teacher whose work affected so many lives, and who was retiring that day.

"I can't even tell you how many students I taught," said Higgins. "Kids that I have taught, a few became teachers themselves. Others, I taught in kindergarten, they have kids of their own and I teach them."

The teacher all the kids knew best as simply "Eelee" got her start teaching in Pangnirtung in 1972 when principal Tim Weaver approached her while working at the Bay. Forty years later (with a few years spent raising her own kids) Eelee sat wiping happy tears from her eyes as students sang songs of goodbye, read poems and shared thoughts on how to spend retirement, with such helpful tips as "go water-sliding," "read the newspaper" and "play checkers."

One former student showed a report card Eelee had given her dated 1974. Naturally, Eelee was given straight As on her "career report card" from students. Elvis himself even appeared, courtesy of fellow teacher Clyde Steele, singing to Eelee it will be a "blue, blue, blue school year" without her.

"People who know me know I love Elvis and my favourite colour is blue," she said.

Eelee was a huge part of Joamie school and the school was a huge part of her. She was away in Hawaii when it burned down in 2003, and cried for the rest of her vacation.

But the school was rebuilt larger, and as much as wood and nails, Eelee was foundational at the school in building up Inuktitut and Inuit culture. As principal for five years, she headed a cultural language program with hands-on activities for students to touch native animals, taste country food and try their hand at traditional activities such as drying meat.

"Language and culture is very, very important to me," she said.

Speaking of the importance of language and dry meat, some memories are (literally) bittersweet for Eelee. She laughs when recounting how she and a former principal went to buy children's prizes for Christmas games and accidentally brought back candy canes meant to be dental bones for dogs and cats.

Eelee retired outside Ottawa where she now lives with her husband Glen. Her daughter Cindy and son Gordie live in Iqaluit. She has seven grandchildren - five girls, two boys - and some of them go to Joamie school.

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