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BEMIDJI-Northwest Technical College will host an open house for its dental assisting program on Monday, July 9.

The school's dental assisting lab will be open 2 to 4 p.m. for meetings with faculty, where participants can learn about the program and career opportunities available to dental assisting graduates. The program's labs, which were refitted this spring with new training stations, also will be open for tours.

"This is an opportunity for anyone interested in dental assisting to stop by and explore our program," Michele Brielmaier, the college's director of nursing and health services, said in a release. "We want people to come to campus, tour our lab and join us for a conversation about what's possible at NTC and in the dental assisting profession."

Students who already have been admitted to the college's dental assisting program for fall 2018 may also attend the open house and register for fall classes. NTC admission advisers will also be on hand to answer questions and help with applications, the release said.

NTC trains students in labs featuring the same technology dental assistants would use on the job, staff there said. New training stations were installed this spring with a $91,700 grant from Bemidji's Northern Dental Access Center. The school's address is 915 Grant Ave SE, Bemidji.

More info: Lisa Hanson, 218-333-6600.

Johnson invited to Bush Foundation conference

BEMIDJI-Ashley Johnson, executive director of the Northwest Technical College Foundation, has received an invitation from the Bush Foundation to attend bushCONNECT 2018, a regional conference for leaders in Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and the 23 Native nations in those states.

The conference is open to anyone. It's scheduled Oct. 1 at the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis. A limited number of general-admission tickets are available through the conference's website for $75 each.

"bushCONNECT is designed to build stronger and more meaningful connections among networks of leaders in the region," Johnson said in a release. "This will be an excellent opportunity to bring ideas back to rural Minnesota and implement the content shared amongst a diverse mix of people from the state."

Johnson, who also serves as a development officer with the Bemidji-based Northwest Minnesota Foundation, has been executive director of the NTC Foundation since March 2017, when the college and foundation entered into a long-term partnership to manage and develop the college's philanthropic capacities.

She has been with the Northwest Minnesota Foundation since 2012.

Culturally responsive instruction

BEMIDJI-Jim Barta, dean of the College of Health Sciences and Human Ecology at BSU, will share strategies to help mathematics instructors develop and nurture culturally responsive teaching environments at the Positive Youth Development workshop on Saturday, July 14, in Minneapolis.

Barta's presentation, "Culturally Responsive Teaching in the Mathematics Classroom: Integrating Theory and Practice," is part of a day-long workshop that aims to help any educator or school staff member create environments that encourage and support the academic success of multi-ethnic children, according to a release from BSU.

Barta's presentation will explore the cultural and social theories supporting culturally responsive teaching and focus on several key elements found in these environments - including community cultural identification and physical learning environments.

The conference is part of a six-conference series this summer throughout the country put on by

Dan Ninham, Positive Youth Development conference organizer, Bemidji Middle ÍáÍáÂþ»­ teacher, former high school basketball coach at both Cass Lake/Bena and Bemidji high schools and an Outstanding Alumni at BSU.

Other dates include:

• July 16 in Minneapolis, Minn.

• July 22 in Green Bay, Wis.

• July 23 in Madison, Wis.

• July 30 in Albuquerque, N.M.

• Aug. 6 in Kansas City, Mo.

For more information, email coach.danninham@gmail.com .

Oak Hills and Hazelden Betty Ford partner up

BEMIDJI-Oak Hills Christian College announced Friday a new partnership with The Hazelden Betty Ford Graduate ÍáÍáÂþ»­ of Addiction Studies for early admission into their academic program. Oak Hills students who qualify will receive an early admission of up to 18 months before their expected enrollment and will receive a $1,000 Early Admission Agreement Scholarship toward their Master of Arts degree in addiction counseling.

The Addiction Counseling Program officially began the fall of 2014 and is directed by Randy McKain. The program was the brainchild of Derrick Houle, program director of Applied Psychology and instructor of Counseling and Psychology. At this time, there have been four graduates, all who are actively working in this field or attending graduate school.