First full day in Pond Inlet

Today was the first real day in Pond. School starts at 8:30 so it was an early morning to head up the hill to the high school. I was welcomed by two teachers just heading in. We got a tour of the two storey school - with junior high classes on the bottom floor and senior high classes on the top floor.

Front entrance to Nasivvik High School

Inside the front lobby

Looking up in the lobby

Drop the Pop campaign posters

My first few periods were spent with Anne in the junior high reading/writing room. The first group of grade 7s were learning how to write postcards, and the second were learning about bats by reading and illustrating the day and night life of a bat. 

The students were welcoming, as well as questioning – who are you, where are you from, how long are you staying? Nick prepared us for “Kinauvit?”, to which I replied “Brooke ovanga,” and was met with a puzzled look. Not sure I have the pronunciation down pat – mental note: work on Inuktitut.

At recess I helped Anne with the “Drop the Pop” campaign. The school is encouraging the kids to make healthier drink choices. I handed out milk as the students came back into school after break to emphasize the health benefits. The main attack is against pop. Some students told me they drink six to seven cans a day, averaging $4.00 a can – you can do the math!

After lunch I hung out with the grade 7, 8, & 9 classes in the gymnasium. We played a lot of badminton, and I learned some new moves in Just Dance on the Wii. The school just received its second Wii, which is awesome to get kids active in gym class; every student was involved in something. It may not be the ideal gym class in the South but it works here.

I got to adventure some after school let out but I will leave that for tomorrow’s post. Stay tuned!