REPULSE BAY
A group of students at Tusarvik School in Repulse Bay are about halfway to their goal of filling a sea can full of empty pop cans.

Grade 8 student Rosalie Kopak, from left, teacher Agnieszka Marszalek, Grade 6 student Jonah Allianaq, Grade 8 student Josephine Uttak, Grade 6 students Jeannie Katokra, Lou Kopak, Ernie Inaksajak and Aiden Kabvitok, and Grade 5 student Floyd Katokra have their pop cans ready for a sea can at Tusarvik School in Repulse Bay this past month. - photo courtesy Tusarvik School

The project is being done through a recycling program in co-operation with the local Co-op store.

This marks the second time a group of Tusarvik students has attempted the feat.

Grade 6 teacher Agnieszka Marszalek said students from kindergarten to Grade 8 are involved in the effort.

She said the students began collecting the cans this past January.

"I'm not sure of the exact amount, but it's around $1,000 we'll receive from the Co-op once the sea can is full," said Marszalek.

"The money will go into our school fund to be used as needed.

"The kids are really enjoying it, and it's really cute when the little ones from kindergarten to Grade 3 are dragging those big bags of pop cans into the room."

Marszalek said she'd like to see the program expand to encompass more of the community.

She said right now, the cans are mostly being collected from the homes of the students.

"I'm trying to get a drop-off spot at both the Northern store and the Co-op, so whoever's drinking a pop at the store can deposit the can there.

"We tell the kids to rinse the cans out before bringing them in to be counted because some of them are quite sticky.

"My Grade 6 students collect the cans from each class on Friday, and they tabulate what they received from each room so we have a clear record of what was collected that day.

"When the sea can is full, we'll have a big pizza party for the class that collecting the most cans."

Marszalek said the cans are counted after school on Fridays and taken to the sea can.

She said she'd like to see the project continue each year at Tusarvik.

"In a sense, it's fairly easy money for the school, it's easy to do and it follows IQ principles like stewardship.

"That's the way I approach it with my students.

"I talk about this with them, because Inuit teachings tell us to take care of the land and keep it clean.

"One way of doing that is by collecting reusable materials and sending them out, which is a win-win situation for everyone."