EDMONTON JOURNAL | Polar journey exposes Edmonton student to arctic culture and climate
(Chiara Concini) is one of 130 high school and post-secondary students from around the globe aboard the Ocean Endeavour, taking a two-week plunge into arctic culture and geography in a program called Students On Ice.
Alongside Inuit elders, scientists, archaeologists, artists and other experts, the students are sailing to communities in Greenland, then through the Northwest Passage in Nunavut, to hike, observe wildlife and learn about the changing northern climate and diverse cultural traditions of people who live there.
Also on the expedition are teachers and future educators. Among them is Ulaayu Pilurtuut, assistant director for education services with the Kativik Ilisarniliriniq school board in northern Quebec. The trilingual board (English, French and Inuktitut) runs all public schools in Nunavik, the portion of Quebec north of the 55th parallel. Pilurtuut is also an Inuktitut language instructor at McGill University.
