One teary-eyed politician, another full of energy, performances from Juno Award winners and not one but two groups walking away with $1 million to make their dreams a reality.

Those were among the highlights at Tuesday evening’s Arctic Inspiration Prize (AIP) awards ceremony at the Yukon Arts Centre.

One of those groups is a Yukon First Nation (see p. 4), while the project awarded the coveted $1-million fund from the AIP directly aims to complement early childhood education for those aged three months to five years throughout seven communities in Nunavut.

In keeping true to the AIP’s goal of honouring innovative solutions for northern communities, Pirurvik – A Place to Grow hopes to serve as a model that can then be copied throughout other areas of the territory.

It will support the Pirurvik Preschool in Pond Inlet, which currently provides early childhood education rooted in an Inuit principle enabling kids to learn at their own pace.

“We have always understood that we must invest in our children, but perhaps we have forgotten to make them a priority,” said team member Tessa Lochhead, joined by colleagues like Karen Nutarak in accepting the prize on stage.

“We have this dream for our children, and now we have realized that dream and we thought it would end there.

“Now we find ourselves in this moment which has surpassed our wildest dreams,” Lockhead said with baby in tow – who at one point reached down to grasp the cheque.

She kept her speech short and sweet, as the child in her arms began to squirm under the lights: “I know, it’s late,” she smiled.

Experiencing a different kind of emotion was Marti Ford, the executive director of the AIP.

“When the youth got that prize, I was so nervous for them,” she said with a smile.

“I was shaking because I know how hard it is for youth to get up and speak in front of all these people.”

In a packed Yukon Arts Centre theatre, five teams were handed more than $2.5 million for their innovative ideas that aim to improve the quality of life for its residents.

Among them was From Scrap to Art in the youth category, claiming the $100,000 amount to create teaching materials and get a welding studio in Nunavut up and running.

It’s here where young residents will learn the skills for welding under the guidance of Maori and Inuit mentors and other educations, all the while developing connections and practical/artistic skills.

Those awarded just below $500,000 included a youth Arctic ecology land camp program from Nunavut, which creates land-based and hands-on science education programs. They focus on hydrology, permafrost, ecology of lakes and freshwater edible resources, and offer mentoring opportunities for Inuit youth enrolled in post-secondary science programs.

Another initiative granted the $500,000 amount was from the N.W.T., with its goal to create an association of Indigenous artists and crafters to work at creating sustainable business ventures.

That is with the goal to build confidence in producing high-quality products and possibly become business owners.

Also on hand for last night’s ceremony was Mayor Dan Curtis. He ecstatically paid tribute to the Canadian couple who has given $60 million toward the prize and showed enthusiasm for the level of talent it highlighted from across the North.

In a rare move, an emotional Yukon MP Larry Bagnell choked back tears as he revealed that Ottawa could be putting up an additional $500,000 to support Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in in its pursuit to build a 10-month, cold-climate greenhouse.

In a partnership with the Yukon College, that project had already been awarded $500,000 by the AIP – bringing its winnings to a total of $1 million.

The night ended as artists Elisapie, Leela Gilday, Diyet and Wesley Hardisty graced the stage for final performances at the packed arts centre.

After coming North of the 60 for the first time this year, next year’s awards ceremony will be held in Ottawa.