NAUJAAT
A group of students at Tuugaalik High School took part in a special sewing program while their teachers were involved with professional-development week activities in Naujaat this past month.

Marlene Malliki shows student Vanessa Kridluar, left, how to use the sewing machine properly during a special sewing program at Tuugaalik High School in Naujaat this past month. - photo courtesy of Julia MacPherson

The school has been supporting the sewing program for the past three years.

School vice-principal Julia MacPherson said during professional development week, teachers may leave their community to attend a regional conference or other development program.

She said while the students have no school during professional development week, an opportunity was recognized to reward a handful of them for their efforts with a sewing program that enabled them to improve their traditional skills and add something personal to their wardrobe at the same time.

"Tuugaalik principal Aubrey Bolt, the high school teachers and myself would

sit down and discuss which

10 worthy students could make a new winter jacket for themselves," said MacPherson.

"We'd like to get new winter jackets for all the high school students, but, since we can't, we try to pick 10 different students each year from Grade 10 to Grade 12.

"Their selection depends upon their attendance, and if they're being respectful and doing their work.

"And, of course, we take into consideration which students among those we're considering who might need a nice new winter jacket."

MacPherson said the school hires seamstresses from within the community to come into the school and work with the students.

She said the teachers do a kind of pep talk with them before leaving the community for their professional development.

"I was heading over to Iqaluit during our most recent sewing program, so I sat down with the students and told them it was an honour for them to be selected by their teachers, myself and the principal for this program.

"I told them we expected them to work hard, and to not think they could just come in and expect the seamstresses to do all the work.

"They have to put in the effort of choosing a design and sewing the jacket to reap the rewards.

"Being selected for this program also allows them to learn some of the traditional ways of sewing, and how to make warm hunting jackets for the men or town jackets for the women."

MacPherson said they always try to select a few boys to participate in the program.

She said the group they selected this year took her words to heart and did an outstanding job.

"They came in every day at 9 a.m. and stayed mostly until 5 p.m. and, when the program was finished, we had nine students complete a jacket between Feb. 13 to 17.

"We had selected 10 students for the program, but, unfortunately, at the last minute, one of them decided to quit and, since some of the teachers were already gone, we just went with the nine this year.

"My mom and I try to do a clothing drive throughout the year to bring up lots of clothes to the community, including new and lightly-used jackets, snow pants and other stuff for the students, and we've always tried to take care of anyone who really, really needs something.

"I find the program is something the students really look forward to every year, so it becomes a kind of incentive for them and helps with their attendance and behaviour in school."

Many of the students who participate in the program try to bring distinct touches of their personality to the jacket they're creating.

MacPherson said sometimes they'll look for pictures of how they want to decorate their jackets ahead of time, print them off and use them as a sort of template.

She said then they have to redraw and enlarge them, trace them over the material, cut the material and piece it all together.

"One student, Jan Kadjuk, really wanted roses on her jacket, along with really funky, wavy lines in different colours, and she pretty much drew everything from her imagination and copied them over onto the materials she wanted.

"She picked out really nice colours that go very well together and went on her way.

"They really do try to get some aspect of their personality on their jacket, and they all work really hard to come up with a great design.

"The seamstresses are really patient to work with them so they get it exactly as they wish."

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