Brilliant student gets help after all

My name is Jason Annahatak and I was accepted to attend Columbia University. A letter recently was published concerning my studies and I would like to make a statement in response to that.

My previous university sponsors decided not to sponsor me in going to Columbia. After repeated requests and rejections, a concerned and highly educated friend wrote to your newspaper intending for the best to come out of it.

I was, in fact, fortunate enough to finally receive the financial support to study at Columbia starting this September and the person writing to your paper was not aware of it.

This funding came in shortly before her letter appeared in your paper. I did not announce this good news to everyone I knew immediately, because the person writing to you was in Montreal and I am currently working on a ship at sea across the North. I failed to inform everyone in this instance.

KSB and KRG may receive some scrutiny from this and I would like to elaborate on the importance of Louisa’s letter to all rather than making any apologies for anyone.

I received the tuition funds to go to Columbia only after I had given up on pursuing that goal. That happened due in large part to someone exactly like Louisa stepping up for me recently when I gave up hope. It is people like her who make achievement within reach.

To the Kativik School Board and Kativik Regional Government, I hope this serves as validation in your very final decision to sponsor me rather than seeing it as criticism. I have learned to live and travel the world through the funding you have provided and the skills I have thus acquired through education.

I thank you for your enormous past support and continued support and realization to fund me at Columbia. I also cannot thank individuals like Louisa Angotigirk enough for their care.

I don’t think we can be educated enough. Nakurmiik, iluunnasi.

Jason Annahatak
Kangirsuk