Mike Emberson
Hi all. I live in Arviat, Nunavut. At the John Arnalukjuak High School I teach Industrial Arts, Workplace Safety and First Aid. When not in school I spend as much time on the Tundra as I can, hunting and fishing. I was asked by one of the elders yesterday if I would like to join him on a trip next weekend. Of course I said yes and my wife, Gail, said so much for 35th wedding anniversary. I may have to give up on that (the trip not the marriage).
Allison Gilbert
Allison comes to the northern experience program from the west coast where she teaches science and math. While she currently lives in Vancouver she prefers to spend her free time outside city limits hiking and camping in the quiet mountains. Allison loves adventures, spending time with her friends and swimming in Kalamalka Lake on hot summer days. She is thrilled at the opportunity to take part in the Arctic experience and can’t wait to meet the other teachers and students involved.
Dale Harvey
Dale currently lives in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. He has taught high school biology and science at Nutana Collegiate for the past 9 years and been employed with the Saskatoon Public School Division since 1998. He also teaches an environmental awareness class called wildlife management that examines the ecosystems and species at risk. He spends his leisure time golfing, curling and playing a variety of other sports. He is looking forward to meeting all the winners and seeing the research being done in Eureka, and also hoping to see some wildlife.
Andy Preto
Andy Preto teaches at Porter Creek Secondary School in Whitehorse. He is affectionately known as a "hippie/red neck" by his students in his integrated studies program. While teaching his Grade 9 students, the classroom decor varies from rivers, to lakes, to mountains, to snowfields in the mountains. While time out of the building is a teaching priority for Andy's science/socials/outdoor ed program, he is fully involved in matters that are important to him as a teacher within the school building. He coaches cross country running, climbing and ski teams. He is the coordinator of the PCSS Green Team Environmental Stewardship Club and a strong waste reduction proponent.
A devout wild-meat-atarian, Andy tries his best to harvest most of what he eats and tries to support local businesses as much as possible. In the summers, he is a professinal rafting guide on rivers throughout Alaska and the Yukon. He also teaches outdoor skills and leadership courses for the city of Whitehorse. Now that his home renovations are done, Andy hopes to spend more time exploring the Yukon by canoe, bike, foot and canoe, hunting, gardening and woodworking. Before he is 40 years old, Andy hopes to be able to split his days between working a trap line and teaching his integrated studies program.
While on the CANDAC Northern Experience, Andy is most looking forward to experiencing the local culture of the areas the group visits, learning from the other students and teachers, and learning more about the diversity of the North. He does not plan on harvesting any of his own food while on this trip and is willing to put his wild-meat-atarianism on temporary hold.
Sonia Rebellato
Sonia Rebellato grew up in northern Ontario and now lives in Toronto. She is a geography teacher at a nearby secondary school. She enjoys photography and cooking. Sonia is looking forward to exchanging the concrete jungle for the panoramic vistas. Exploring the landscape and meeting people from the High Arctic will be experiences that enrich her classes upon her return. A visit to PEARL is highly anticipated.
Ken Whytock
Ken Whytock is an English and Media teacher at Galt Collegiate Institute in Cambridge, Ontario, where he is the Department Head of English. He coaches the school's curling team as well as plays the game himself. At school he works with students to publish the yearbook, and make videos for the school. At home, in Drumbo, he and his wife coach in the local soccer league, where their son also plays. He enjoys woodworking, movies, photography, and the 'Weather Channel.' He is looking forward to the friendships and understanding that will develop from the Northern Experience Program when we bring together teachers and students from across the country, and he's looking forward to seeing portions of Canada that everyone loves, but few get to see.