This is the first full week back to school for students in Cambridge Bay and for a few dozen of them there are no worries about having classroom supplies thanks to donations from community members.
photo courtesy of Tasha Tologanak
Tasha Tologanak organized a donation drive that resulted in 26 backpacks being turned over to the elementary and secondary schools to distribute to students in need.
“I was a drop out student and struggled in school. I went back to school and pursued post-secondary (culinary arts) so I know how it feels to struggle at school,” Tologanak said. “I hope these school supplies will motivate students to stay in school and be excited to have these supplies.”
The elementary backpacks include two notebooks, a pencil case filled with pencils, erasers and pencil crayons. The high school backpacks contain a notebook, pencils, pens, a scientific calculator and binders.
Tologanak earned the Outstanding Young Woman's Award through the Qulliit Nunavut Status of Women Council earlier this year. She put school supplies donors' names in a draw for a free birthday cake for each donation made. Debra Gray is the winner of that cake.
