Learning on the land
Kivalliq Science Culture Camp still popular with students
Darrell Greer
Northern News Services
Monday, September 28, 2015
BAKER LAKE/KIVALLIQ
Student science lovers from across the region descended upon Baker Lake for the annual Kivalliq Science Culture Camp earlier this month.
Grade 11 students Deanna Netser, left, and Eva Muckpah jump for joy while out on the land during the annual Kivalliq Science Culture Camp at Baker Lake earlier this month. - photo courtesy of Mark Long |
The camp is a project of the Kivalliq Science Educators Community (KSEC) and is held in various Kivalliq communities from year to year.
KSEC secretary Kelsey Nickel of John Arnalukjuak High School (JAHS) in Arviat is the organization's acting president until Katharine O'Connell of Maani Ulujuk Ilinniarvik in Rankin Inlet returns from educational leave to start the school year's second semester.
Nickel accompanied Arviat's JAHS students to the camp in Baker from Sept. 9 to 14, and said she was impressed by how smoothly everything ran.
She said the science culture camp had been held a number of times previously in Baker and organizers Jim Kreuger and Jennith Peart used their experience to create an excellent atmosphere and schedule of events.
"The tents were already set up when we arrived at Blueberry Hill in Baker," said Nickel.
"The Rankin Inlet crew arrived really early, and most of their students and those from Baker Lake were involved in setting-up the camp for everyone.
"We had a bonfire and introductions the first night, and all the participants had their work booklets for the camp.
"The students each receive two credits for completing their work throughout the camp."
All seven Kivalliq communities were represented at the camp by students in Grades 10 to 12.
Each community is allowed to send four students and a teacher, with the host community being allowed to have eight students participate.
Nickel said the students attended classes, went on a tour of the Meadowbank mine site and learned numerous skills such as first aid and the proper use of a GPS.
She said the 32 students received a lot of practical and hands-on experience while out on the land.
"They had to learn to cook, clean, use stoves, light lanterns and all the rest of the practical skills you would use out on the land.
"Demonstrating those skills to the instructor was also part of their checklist and earning marks during the week.
"On the way back from the Meadowbank tour we got a phone call telling us all of our tents had blown down, it was snowing and the wind was blowing at about 80 km/h.
"So, we had to take all of our stuff into the school for the last night and finish our programming inside, including the final component of the GPS."
Hugh Tuluralik of Baker was this year's camp elder.
Tuluralik stayed in his own tent at the camp and teamed-up with one of the boy's tents to share in the cooking, demonstrated string games, told stories and sang songs.
Nickel said the students really enjoyed the elder's demonstrations and storytelling.
She said the youths interacted well with Tuluralik and genuinely seemed to enjoy his company.
"They loved all the traditional things he was doing, especially the tricks he showed them with the string games.
"Those games are not easy and we all had a hard time doing them.
"The kids were really courteous to the elder and would always make sure he had hot water, a cup of tea or coffee, extra food or anything else he needed.
"He was very involved with everything at the camp, and he was also really good in helping us out when a stove would start acting up, or if the girls had a little trouble getting their stove going, things of that nature."
Nickel said the students really enjoyed the Meadowbank tour.
She said their favourite component of the actual camp activities was learning proper use of the GPS.
"Some of them had seen first aid before, but is was definitely a good refresher and a good reminder about how things are different when you're out on the land and don't always have everything available to you.
"The GPS was new to most of the kids and they really enjoyed the fact there was a culminating activity where they had to race to find the different weigh points.
"They had two or three days of the GPS training, which is an important skill to know and they all really enjoyed the program.
"The Kivalliq Science Culture Camp moves to a different community each year - although some communities don't usually get to host it due to the time of year and safety concerns with polar bears - and next year's location will probably be discussed during our next KSEC meeting."
