To the ends of the Earth

MIRIAM HILL

Jesse Tungilik says his trip to Antarctica was by far the greatest experience of his life.

The 17-year-old from Arctic Bay stood smiling as the coordinators of Students on Ice, the company that made his trip possible, made a presentation to sponsors in Iqaluit during the Arctic Winter Games last month.

Students on Ice is a Canadian company that strives to provide educational opportunities at either ends of the Earth to foster awareness and understanding of the planet.

Geoff Green, the founder and expedition leader of Students on Ice, was visiting Iqaluit hoping to recruit more Nunavut students to join their treks to the Arctic and Antarctic.

Speaking to a group gathered during the Arctic Winter Games, Green showed slides and held the attention of both young and old with his descriptions of the Poles and the activities of the students.

The program is open to youth aged 14 to 18 from around the world and offers the chance to go on an icebreaker ship and learn about the environment from scientists on board.

“The ship is a floating classroom,” he explained. “We eat, sleep and learn on board.”

This is Students on Ice’s third year of operation and Green said he’d like to see every province and territory represented on these expeditions. Last year a student from Kimmirut travelled to the Arctic, and in December Tungilik was one of the first Inuit to reach Antarctica.

“I’d recommend it to anybody. It’s a great program for people who like to meet new people and learn about new places and love adventure,” Tungilik said. “Rounding Cape Horn was awesome. I’ve always loved the ocean and I want to work on the sea. I’ve read so much about it, it’s just a legendary place and it was an honour to be able to go and experience it.”

This August, another group of students will embark on a trip high above the Arctic circle, along with specialists in such things as history, icebergs, marine science, and birds. Some will conduct research aided by the students. Green said a three-to-one student staff ratio means the kids get the most from the expedition.

Daily field excursions either to the surrounding terrain or to nearby communities, help round out the students’ learning.

Co-expedition leader Angela Holmes said the group is looking for students who are willing to put a lot into the expedition.

“We’re not interested in what kind of marks they’re getting at school, we’re not interested in whether they have travelled or not before,” she said. “We’re really just looking for people with a keen interest in the environment in the area that we’re going and really want to do it.”

It is also important for the students to be motivated. Once an application is accepted, students have to plan ways to earn the thousands of dollars needed for the trek.

“It’s a huge hurdle for anybody,” Holmes said, “but the funders really get caught up in the idea and they know it’ll be a valuable experience for the student to go.”

Students get funding from a variety of organizations. In Tungilik’s case, it included money from Kakivak Association and the Department of Foreign Affairs.

“When the students go, they’re very flighty — even though they are bright kids and they are involved in a lot of activities,” Holmes said. “They’re teenagers and their head is in the stars with ideas. When they get to Antarctica or to a place like Ellesmere Island, they see the grand nature, the wildlife and the big picture. They really come back grounded and more focused and know what’s important.”

Tungilik needed grounding after a particular experience early on in the expedition. During a night with particularly high waves, he and some new friends donned rubber boots and ventured onto the lower decks of the ship to see what it was like.

“We were surprised by a wave coming over our heads and knocked us all off our feet,” he said smiling. “It was great fun, but it was really cold.”

Students interested in learning more about how to join the expedition to the Arctic this August, or the Antarctic next December, can go to the Students on Ice Web site at www.studentsonice.com.