INUVIK
It wasn't a traditional school day but students did get in touch with traditional crafts and other activities during East Three Secondary School's second annual wellness day March 22.

Denise McDonald, from the Beaufort Delta Education Council, called East Three Secondary's School's wellness day "amazing." - Stewart Burnett/NNSL photos

"It was an overall day for our students to reflect on their wellness," explained Denise Ritias, one of the organizers of the event along with Colin Pybus, Paula Guy and Sharla Greenland.

Students engaged in a variety of workshops, from snowshoeing to beading and yoga. Guest speakers also talked to youth about such topics as cyber-bullying.

"There were different sessions on (for example) depression, we had cultural crafts, explaining they can utilize their cultural crafts as a way of rejuvenating themselves," said Ritias.

Marika Cockney and James Jones, two of the best hoop dancers in the world, stole some of the show with their impressive performances. The pair also led a workshop, doing yoga with students while telling them about the importance of setting goals in life.

Cockney, who grew up in Alberta but has family ties to Inuvik, explained that she felt like a fish out of water during high school and had few friends.

In her late teens, she got into partying.

"For a while I got caught up in the social pressures of partying and I lost the goal-set mind," she said. "That's what really brought me down. I didn't have a goal for a long time."

It had been her goal to become a professional dancer, after she quit ski racing, which was more of a goal her parents had for her.

She stressed the importance of always having a goal in mind and to be working toward something.

"This world is too amazing and magnificent," she said.

"There are way too many awesome things in this world to ever be bored."

When she was bored, she said, is when she got into trouble.

At age 20, she decided to leave the partying behind and lead a sober lifestyle.

"When I went out partying, I had friends," said Cockney. "That's what kept me partying at that time. It allowed me to have fun with people that I don't normally hang out with.

"I had this realization at one point that I was spending a lot of unnecessary money, time and energy on something that was not productive. I knew that if I put that time towards something that I loved then I could turn my life into something great."

Jones, a competitive hoop dancer, said his current goal is to be the world champion traditional hoop dancer. At his last competition in February, he placed fifth.

He cautioned students that people will regularly try to dissuade them from pursuing their goals.

"A lot of the time it's their own insecurities (speaking)," he said.

Denise McDonald, with the Beaufort Delta Education Council, thanked the people involved in putting the event together.

"A day like this doesn't just happen by itself," she said.

"This was an amazing day."

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