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Spirit of the bear

When Kyle Aviak was growing up in Kugluktuk, Nunavut, one of Canada's most northern and isolated communities, he would never have dreamed his town, his school nor himself would be the topic of a Hollywood movie.
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When Kyle Aviak was growing up in Kugluktuk, Nunavut, one of Canada's most northern and isolated communities, he would never have dreamed his town, his school nor himself would be the topic of a Hollywood movie.

"It's pretty surreal to think there is a movie about a sports organization that I was a part of," he said.

Aviak is an alumni member of  the Kugluktuk Grizzlies, a school-based sports organization that began in 1998 and is credited for not only creating student success but saving lives.

The film titled The Grizzlies after the sports team, is being presented by the Chinook Film Group on Jan. 16. It tells the story about the program, which was started by Russ Sheppard, a 22-year-old first-time teacher from Ontario who is played by Ben Schnetzer (Warcraft, The Book Thief).

Sheppard, who taught and coached in Kugluktuk for seven years before moving onto a career in law, said the film does an amazing job of depicting the Grizzlies program, the struggles in Kugluktuk and the successes. Most importantly, he was happy it steered away from the stereotypical southern storytelling when it comes to Canada's North.

"It's not a white man saves the day kind of story," said Sheppard. "They did a great job. It really isn't about me. It's a great focus on the kids."

To Sheppard, the students are the real story of the Grizzlies. When he arrived in Kugluktuk more than a decade ago, like many Northern communities the statistics were grim. Suicide rates were the highest in Canada – in February 2000 a rash of six suicides rocked the school population of 135. School attendance was also abysmal hitting as low as 20 per cent.

The Grizzlies, which focused on not only providing students a positive outlook on life and education also implemented high standards of conduct which included mandatory attendance, activity logs and being engaged in the program's social enterprise – the Grizzlies Den Arcade that went on to generate tens of thousands in revenue for sport programs.

Sheppard said over the years the program flipped the stats. Attendance at the school quadrupled and there wasn't a single suicide between 2001 and 2006.

While Aviak, who is played by Booboo Stewart (Twilight Saga), attributes that turn around to teachers such as Sheppard who were involved in the program, Sheppard believes the teachers merely created an environment that allowed the potential of Kugluktuk youth to flourish.

"You don't see that kind of resilience in youth," Sheppard said of their drive to push on no matter how bad life got. "I learned more from them then they learned from me."

Regardless of who benefited more, the results of the program are undeniable. Aviak, who has a family and works for a diamond mine near Yellowknife, credits the Grizzlies for helping him develop a strong foundation in his life.

It also fostered a passion for lacrosse – the sport the movie focuses on though the Grizzlies is a multi-sports organization. During his two weeks off from the diamond mine, Aviak, who played junior lacrosse in Edmonton, now helps coach clinics and fire up lacrosse programs across the Northwest Territories.

"Being part of that organization changed a lot of things for me," he said.

As is it did for many other alumni, such as Mila Adjukak Kamingoak who is now the MLA for Kugluktuk or Miranda Atatahak, who is the community's deputy mayor.

The Grizzlies, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and has  won multiple awards, will show on Jan 16 at 7 p.m. at the Cochrane Movie House. Tickets are $10 and are available at The Gentry or the door.

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