Quebec Roots Goes to Ajagutak School in Tasiujaq, Nunavik

Good morning from Ajagutak School in Nunavik, Quebec!

I'm here with artist Thomas Kneubuhler for an exciting project called Quebec Roots, that is part of the Blue Metropolis Literary Foundation's educational programming.

We are here to work with Angela's Cycle I students, and Alex's Cycle 2's. These students will be contributing a chapter to this year's edition of Quebec Roots -- a real live book!

Our job this morning was to help the students come up with a topic for their chapter. We spent about a half-hour brainstorming. The two most popular topics were after-school jobs and playing. It was Thomas's idea that we combine those topics into "Work and Play." Great idea, don't you think?

I got the students to do a little writing and right now, Thomas is teaching them some basic photography skills. In today's pic, you can see Thomas showing the kids a photo taken by one of Thomas's friends when he was in the Rockies. In the photo, there's sunshine in the foreground, but there are dark clouds overhead and in the background. As Thomas told the students, "Trouble is coming." Which I thought was great because I am always telling kids in my writing workshops that TROUBLE IS LIKE GASOLINE -- IT MOVES A STORY FORWARD.

I'm going to end this blog entry with the ending of one the poems two students, George and Jaiku, wrote about their part-time job at the youth centre:

"We like earning money

I bought a skidoo with my earnings.

But we also feel good about our work

The youth centre is a safe place for kids in Tasiujaq

It protects them from the wolves

And other stuff."

So, what do you think? When I read something beautiful, I get goosebumps. I got goosebumps when I just typed up that last stanza of the boys' poem.

Thomas and I will be here till tomorrow. Then it's off to Quaqtaq to work with more young writers and photographers! LUCKY US!!