Iqaluit middle school gives back to the community for Christmas

Students at Iqaluit’s Aqsarniit Ilinniarvik middle school have been getting into the Christmas spirit this December by giving back to the community.

They’re doing that through a project called Aqsarniit Ilinniarvik Pijitsirniq Christmas.

At the same time, the community is giving back to Aqsarniit.

An Aqsarniit Ilinniarvik student decorator places an RCMP hat on the top of a Christmas tree with a big boost from Staff Sgt. Garfield Elliott. (PHOTO COURTESY OF AQSARNIIT ILINNIARVIK)

One gift from the school to the community occurred when students in teacher Jason Hatt’s class decorated the Iqaluit-based RCMP building recently.

Students decorated a Christmas tree at the Nunavut RCMP headquarters and placed an iconic Mountie hat at the top of the tree, in place of a star or angel.

In return for that help, the RCMP gave them gift bags containing plush-toy polar bears.

As well, Helen Roos, the president and lead instructor of the Ilinniapaa Skills and Development Centre, donated two boxes of books and Christmas gift-wrapping materials to Kelli McLarty’s class at Aqsarniit.

These books, which are at various reading levels, had been left at the learning centre by Frontier College.

“With this, the students got a chance to create their own Secret Santa bag to give a gift of literacy and provide a service,” said a news release by Nunavut’s Department of Education.

Aqsarniit Ilinniarvik student decorators with teacher Jason Hatt and the RCMP mascot.

These students will also be gifting books to their siblings, parents, family, friends and other students.

And the students in McLarty’s class each got to choose one book to keep and were also able to restock their classroom library with book donations.

“Helen has worked hard to help enhance Inuit cultural values and employment by allowing students, after high school, to build on their work-readiness job-specific essential skills. This gift of literacy helps promote the love of reading throughout the holiday season,” their news release said.