She didn鈥檛 graduate high school, but that hasn鈥檛 stopped Naujaat鈥檚 Candy Ivalutanar on her journey to becoming a teacher in her community.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 my dream,鈥� said Ivalutanar about teaching in Naujaat, where she lives with her family.

Originally from Kugaaruk, she withdrew from school after having a child 鈥� not for any lack of passion or success in the school system.

鈥淢y child is more important than I am, so that鈥檚 how come I dropped out of school,鈥� said Ivalutanar. 鈥淚 was doing very good in school. It鈥檚 just that my child came first.鈥�

She moved to Naujaat in 2006, getting married the next year. In 2009, Ivalutanar started driving the school bus in Naujaat, where she also became a substitute teacher.

鈥淚 would go to work at 7 and without having break or lunch, I would work till 5,鈥� she remembers. 鈥淚t was like a 10-hour job.鈥�

That鈥檚 when she wanted to start pursuing a teaching career more seriously, and as soon as she was accepted in the Nunavut Teacher Education Program (NTEP), she quit work and enrolled in classes.

Currently finishing off her third year in NTEP, Ivalutanar said her partner and two younger daughters have been her biggest supporters.

鈥淚t鈥檚 hard, because I never graduated high school,鈥� she said. 鈥淲hen I just started [NTEP], I thought I was going to fail the first year, but I still haven鈥檛 failed and I鈥檓 still going. It鈥檚 stressful, it gets hard at times, especially at the end of the year. I鈥檓 happy that I鈥檓 not just alone in this.鈥�

Last fall, Ivalutanar was awarded the Qulliq Energy Corporation鈥檚 annual Laura Ulluriaq Gauthier scholarship, earning her $5,000 to go toward supporting her studies. The award recognizes a Nunavut post-secondary student who is demonstrating a combination of community leadership, an extraordinary commitment to educational achievement and Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit.

鈥淚t鈥檚 going to help me a lot,鈥� said Ivalutanar. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a great honour because I鈥檓 sure a lot of students tried and I鈥檓 happy that everyone supported me in this.鈥�

Now with two daughters in school 鈥� one turning 17 in March, the other 12 in October 鈥� Ivalutanar makes sure they know the importance of education.

鈥淲e get them up every morning and they go to school daily,鈥� she said. 鈥淚鈥檓 happy that they鈥檙e doing great. That鈥檚 a good thing, that we know we鈥檙e doing good somewhere.鈥�

As a teacher, Ivalutanar wants to make sure Inuktitut is strong in the territory.

鈥淲e鈥檙e starting to lose our language,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 coming in very fast. I was thinking that we need more Inuit teachers 鈥� talk more in Inuktitut 鈥� instead of having teachers coming from down south.鈥�

With how prevalent technology is these days, Ivalutanar thinks there must be some ways to leverage technology to teach the language 鈥� though she has a personal preference for physical books.

She鈥檚 not quite sure what she wants to teach when she gets back into the classroom, but she loves math.

For anyone struggling with school, Ivalutanar urges them to press forward.

鈥淜eep going no matter what, because we鈥檝e all got this,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 never graduated high school. I鈥檓 still going.鈥�

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