The Grizzlies

Come here.

Go! Go!

Go!

There's no trees!

Not one.

That's weird, eh?

You're from here, right?

You lived up here a long time?

6,000 years.

Just the necessities, eh?

Oh, yeah. Sorry to say it's not mine.

Mike Johnston. Math Department.

Oh, hi. Russ Sheppard. History.

Alright.

- Oh, I got it. I got it. - Oh, thanks.

Welcome to the edge of the world.

Or the end of the world,

depending on how long you've been here.

So you got this job like 20 minutes ago, eh?

Yeah, well, considering I had 48 hours to decide when I graduated,

you're going to have to give me the lay of the land.

You like it up here?

The money's good

and I put a lot of miles between me and the ex.

How come you're scraping the bottom of the barrel?

I owe the government.

I'm in that Work-For-School program.

I'm stoked for this, though.

I'll spend the year up north

and then I'm short-listed for a great prep school

so when I'm done here, I'm golden.

Over here on the left, that's the community freezer.

That's where everyone stores their kills.

Seal, caribou, polar bear.

Over here on the right, that's the Cop Shop.

Both nice guys.

And right over here, that's the rink.

Oh, cool. They got hockey and stuff?

No, the refrigerator coil's fried out,

so now they just use it for like, community meetings,

dances, stuff like that.

Whoa-whoa-whoa! Look out.

Oh!

Oh, my God.

I have anxiety issues.

And there's your group of scholars.

You have 21 students in your class,

but attendance will vary greatly from day to day,

season by season. - Is there a truancy policy?

Students often have other priorities.

We like to accommodate their circumstances.

Don't worry, I'll whip 'em into shape.

They all speak English, right?

The government made sure of that.

This me? Alrighty. Janace,

thank you so much for this terrific opportunity, and...

Save it. You're not a novelty, Russ.

We use teachers from Work-For-School

because we can't get anyone else.

You don't need to suck up to me.

Just do your job.

Hi, everybody.

Uh, my name is Russ Sheppard, but you can call me Russ.

Uh, please don't call me Mr. Sheppard, 'cause...

that's my dad's name.

Wouldn't call you Mister anyway.

Mister is a white man's word.

Alrighty. Attendance. Let's give this a shot.

Miranda...

Atatahak.

How'd I do?

You can tell me if I got it wrong.

Was it that bad?

I'm Spring and you said it right.

In Inuit custom, raising the eyebrows means yes.

Good to know.

Kyle Aviak.

Kyle. Present?

Uh, Shani Ikniq... Ikniqpal...

Ikniqpalagaq. Sorry.

No? Uh...

Kathy Itigaiqpaituk.

No?

Uh, Adam Kikpak.

Adam doesn't do school any more.

Well, he's listed here.

His elders say no.

He gets to be out on the land now.

That's a new one. And you are?

Roger. Roger Saata.

Roger. Got it.

Zach Tuluguq.

Zach, okay?

Jason Mitivik.

No Jason Mitivik?

- He's not coming back. - Drop it.

Everybody knows that this is the first day of school, right?

Hey, Russ!

How bad did you mess up?

- Beg your pardon? - Must've lost a bet.

Owed money, skipped town.

They won't find you here, man.

Let's get something straight.

In my class, respect will be demanded.

Okay? And you'll receive it when you've earned it.

What did you just say? Please speak English here.

Are you saying I can't speak my own tongue?

No, no-no. I am not, I just...

I have a right to speak my native language.

Yes, but you don't have a right to disrupt this class.

I said...

Okay. Here we go. Day one. Detention.

Not now. After school.

- I'm done now. - I'm not,

so you can take your seat.

I'll see you later, Russ.

I'm sorry, but you're going to have to go through me

to get out that door.

Oh!

Hey!

Trial by fire, buddy boy.

Janace said she's not going to suspend him. What the hell's up with that?

Because to him and the rest of these kids,

being told that they can't go to school

isn't exactly a punishment. No one gives a shit.

Sorry.

Look, you don't need algebra

when you hunt and live off the land, and that's how they roll,

so they figure: what's the point?

Don't they want an education,

so they can get the hell out of here?

Spoken like a true Qabliunaaq.

What's that? Asshole?

White guy. Same thing.

Yeah.

$327 and 65 cents.

I'm sorry, what?

I got like, twelve things.

Why do you think they kill their own food?

I owe you 16 bucks.

Oh...

Funeral. Second kid this month.

Blew his brains out.

They warn you about a lot of stuff when you take this job,

but never that. - Jesus.

Is it like, a copycat thing?

No, it's like an epidemic type thing.

It's a bad scene for a lot of the kids up here, eh.

Suicide?

What's being done?

Nothing.

Or, nothing that works.

How do you handle it up here?

Man, I do the same thing everyone else does: I drink.

Did you steal my booze?

Come on! Answer me.

Come on. I know you steal from me!

You let him steal from me?

Hey, leave her alone!

Why? What are you gonna do, huh?

You gonna run away?

You know he's lying.

- Tell me where it is! - Kyle!

Kyle! - I don't take shit!

From nobody!

What the hell?

Okay, I know what you're thinking:

history's a bore, right?

Names and dates but, guys, history is a story.

A true story.

Yes, Zach?

Or, sorry, do you prefer Mike Tyson?

Who?

What's your question.

- Can I go to the washroom? - Knock yourself out.

Okay, listen up...

I want three pages, double-spaced,

on the history of anything you want.

Person, place or thing.

I'm gonna write about Spring. She's my sun,

my moon and my stars.

Very poetic. Maybe save that for English class.

Okay, guys. Three pages. One hour. Go.

What's up, man?

You should get a load of this white guy, man.

That's right, Russ Sheppard.

Yes, I just want to confirm that I'm still on the short-list?

Uh-huh, great. That's great.

Yeah, just let me know if there's anything else

that you need from me to ensure that I'm a front-runner.

Mm-hmm.

No, St. Andrew's Academy,

it would be a perfect fit for me, sir.

Hey, guys.

Russ! I love this girl!

She's my sun, my moon, my stars!

I remember.

You okay, Spring?

You sure?

What's up with this guy?