Articles written by Bethany Wesley
Sorted by date Results 1 - 25 of 63
By 
Northern Minnesota Girls Who Code Club is the only chapter in Minnesota
BEMIDJI -- Summer Crow was interested the moment she first heard of an emerging computer-programming club for girls. "I was intrigued instantly," said the seventh-grader, who attends Schoolcraft Learning Community. She wasn't alone. When Jennifer Theisen, a programmer/analyst at Bemidji State University, founded the northern Min...
'We know the direction we have to go:' Cass Lake-Bena High School goes from Priority school to Reward school in state ratings; other area schools make top lists, too
BEMIDJI -- As Cass Lake-Bena High School was named among Minnesota's highest-performing schools on Wednesday, the announcement capped off a remarkable transformation. "I knew when I came in that this team was ready to lift off," said principal Bryan Hackbarth, who was named principal in 2013. "You're not going to find a more highly skilled, trained staff, someone who has been t...
The 'contrary warrior': Born in Red Lake, Adam Fortunate Eagle is bound for the history books
Adam Fortunate Eagle is awaiting another film crew, expected to arrive later in the week. This particular group, coming from Frankfurt, Germany, to his Nevada home, wants to talk to him about the loss of the "shoe tree," a decades-old Cottonwood that was out in the middle of the Nevada desert, 50 miles from civilization,...
Advocating for involvement: American Indian Health Summit held at Sanford Center
BEMIDJI - As John Poupart began his hourlong presentation on how to incorporate American Indian values into research methodologies, he offered a short story about a young man who asked an elder a question. "(He asked,) 'How come old people don't tell us the things we need to know?' and the old man says, 'You never asked,'"...
An eye toward health: American Indian Health Summit comes to Bemidji
BEMIDJI -- A health care summit will be held here next month in hopes of bringing people together with a shared goal of improving the health of American Indians. The Collaborative Research Center for American Indian Health will host its annual summit -- this year titled "Making Relatives for Community-Based Research" -- June 11 in Bemidji. Featuring nationally known speakers,...
Helping to 'Launch' their futures: Educators, others, gather to discuss ways to increase graduation rates
BEMIDJI -- Ranae Seykora, an assistant principal at Bemidji High School, temporarily stepped away from a meeting on how to increase graduation rates when she ran into a student and asked for the student's input. "Without even hesitating, she said, 'Courage. I need encouragement, courage, and I need to know I'm not alone,'"...
Cass Lake-Bena fields two robotics teams
CASS LAKE - At the end of the robotics season last spring, Mariah Reyes asked one of her coaches, "Why don't we have an all-girls team?" Now they do. Cass Lake-Bena High School made its mark last weekend when it took not just one, but two teams to the FIRST Robotics North Star Regional competition at the University of...
High school graduation rates increase locally and statewide
KELLIHER - When it comes to measurements, smaller school districts have advantages and disadvantages. Smaller pools of students mean you can more easily garner higher results, but it also means you can more easily garner lower results, as well. Tim Lutz, superintendent of Kelliher Public School, alluded to that this week when as...
Task force efforts cut crime, drugs
BEMIDJI — Seized: 425 grams of methamphetamine;1,433 dosage units of pharmaceuticals; 15 pounds of marijuana and 238 marijuana plants; 17.7 grams of heroin; 46 firearms, including handguns, assault rifles and stolen weapons; and $63,683 in cash. You don’t always hear the immediate results of activities conducted by local law-enforcement taskforces, but their 2013...
Secore new director of Health, Human Services for Beltrami County
BEMIDJI – Becky Secore today takes over a new position within Beltrami County. Secore, most recently the social service division director, was unanimously approved Tuesday to be the new director of Beltrami County Health and Human Services. She replaces Mary Marcel, who resigned last year to take a position with another county. County Administrator Kay Mack said six applicant...
Youth summit set for Monday
BEMIDJI — Since there is no school Monday, area youth are encouraged to take part in an afternoon event that day to weigh in on issues related to student success and graduation rates. The youth summit is planned for 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. Monday (Martin Luther King Jr. Day) at BSU. Registration is encouraged through mnyouth.net. The District 7 Bemidji Youth Summit aims to gather...
Closing the gap: School board considers new programming to help boost test scores
BEMIDJI — A special school board meeting on Wednesday focused on how to close achievement gaps. Bemidji Area Schools principals presented their anticipated recommendations for closing the achievement gaps for American Indian students, special education students and those receiving free or reduced lunch. “This was really important,” Superintendent Jim Hess said following...
Sanford aims to improve American Indian health care
BEMIDJI, Minn. – A patient is best served when she has a team of medical staff working in tandem to address all of her medical needs, says Dr. Valerie Fox, a Sanford Bemidji family physician. That is the goal of Sanford One Care, a team-based initiative that aims to improve health care delivery for patients with chronic health concerns. “What we’re trying to do is...
'A great Christmas present': Central Elem. students making blankets, scarves for the homeless
BEMIDJI - Ten-year-old Marcus Boe wonders if he should take his blanket for a "test drive." Marcus, one of several Central Elementary students making no-sew, or tie, blankets to be donated next month to the homeless, wants to be sure his is going to be warm enough for those who will receive it. "I want it to be warm," Marcus...
Bi-CAP YouthBuild delivers gifts to elderly
BEMIDJI - Alyssa Beaulieu offered a package of gifts Tuesday to a senior apartment resident, wishing her a merry Christmas on behalf of the Salvation Army and BiCAP YouthBuild. The woman happily accepted the gift - a package of tissues, chapstick and sugar-free candy; a Salvation Army magazine; and a decorative wall-hang - and...
To go or not to go: Many factors in play when it comes to delaying or canceling school
BEMIDJI — Choosing whether to cancel school, delay classes or simply proceed as scheduled is not an easy decision to make, the superintendent here said Wednesday. Bemidji Area Schools was among several districts that opted to delay the the start of school Wednesday because of dangerous windchills hovering at about 40 below. “A kid standing at the bus stop for more than 10...
Red Lake girl to take part in Macy's parade
The 87th Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade will air 9 a.m. to noon Thanksgiving Day on NBC. NEW YORK CITY -- Selena Jourdain, a 12-year-old Red Lake girl, remembers when she first started dancing; it was almost as soon as she started walking. "It's just the one thing that I really like to do," she said. Now, thanks to her dancing...
'Arnold and Matthew, partners for life': Gay couple weds on Leech Lake Indian Reservation
CASS LAKE - "Ladies and gentlemen, may I present to you Arnold and Matthew, partners for life." And, with that, what is believed to be the first gay marriage on the Leech Lake Indian Reservation was complete as longtime partners Arnold Dahl and Matthew Wooley were wed Friday afternoon by Judge Paul Day, chief judge of Leech Lake...
Artist-in-residence Lyz Jaakola visits area schools
BEMIDJI - Lyz Jaakola welcomed students in Ojibwe on Wednesday morning, greeting fifth-graders as they entered Debbie Miller's classroom at Northern Elementary. "I notice when I come to Bemidji there are lots of signs in Ojibwe and that makes me feel really good, that the language is valued here," said Jaakola, an American...
Education commissioner Cassellius notes importance of early schooling
BEMIDJI — When Brenda Cassellius, the state’s education commissioner, asked a roomful of 4-year-olds how many legs does a spider have, the answer came very quickly. “Eight.” Cassellius, in the area this week touring several successful schools, smiled and then proceeded to read a story, “The Itsy Bitsy Spider,...
Leech Lake Tribal College Wellness Center connects with students
CASS LAKE — A hallway tucked into the back of Leech Lake Tribal College’s Cedar Hall has shelves full of diapers, baby products and personal care items. There also is a rack with suit coats, women’s dress clothes, shoes and children’s winter coats. Then, at the end of the hallway, is Dawn Plumer’s office. “I just lea...
'We have an opportunity': District aims to narrow achievement gaps
BEMIDJI — Vince Beyl is encouraged by the recent discussion at the Bemidji School Board table. Beyl, the director of American Indian Education for the Bemidji School District, was one of about a dozen school leaders who met last week to brainstorm ideas on how best to narrow existing achievement gaps, the disparities in student performance for specific subgroups. Minnesota...
Niigaane celebrates: Ojibwe immersion school finds permanency in new classroom space
BENA — As one of only two such schools in the nation, the Niigaane school is drawing attention for the right reasons. The Niigaane Ojibwe Immersion School, its own school within Bug-O-Nay-Ge-Shig school, opened in 2004 to revitalize the Ojibwe language. "This is us 10 years later," said Leslie Harper, director of the school,...
More area schools make the grade in latest report
BEMIDJI — TrekNorth High School, for the third year in a row, has been recognized as a Reward School by the Minnesota Department of Education. “It’s nice to have our work validated by the state,” said Dan McKeon, executive director of TrekNorth. The MDE released Tuesday its annual report on school accountability....
Bemidji City Council approves new Chief Bemidji statue plans
BEMIDJI -- Supporters say a new Chief Bemidji statue should be positioned in a way that depicts him overlooking Lake Bemidji. After a unanimous vote Tuesday by the Bemidji City Council, they've gotten their wish. The council approved a $40,000 platform to be constructed as a focal point along the trail that runs through Library...
