Native Youth

Relatives confirmed that 17-year-old Dylon Oothoudt of Walker was the male found dead Sept. 13, 2026, in a Cass Lake yard. An autopsy ruled the death a homicide by gunshot wound.

The drum ceremony planned for Brainerd High School's commencement will continue after all, despite previous communication that the district was pulling its support.

The charter school's students and several staffers participated in the annual event, which featured an afternoon of powwow staples in Bemidji.

Bemidji Area Schools is considering consolidating its elementary schools by closing J.W. Smith, and community members are urging the Board to look at other options.

Through a partnership with the Nature Conservancy, Endazhi-Nitaawiging, Red Lake's first charter school, celebrated the arrival of its new pontoon with family boat rides and hot chocolate on Nov. 12, 2025.

Mark Baez is an associate professor of clinical psychology, and the screening tool he developed to assess Native suicide risk in a culturally sensitive way is about to start its pilot study.

Mark Baez is an associate professor of clinical psychology at Bemidji State. A member of the Tap Pilam Coahuiltecan tribe and of Pawnee and Mohawk descent, he is about to begin a pilot study for a new suicide screening tool uniquely developed to identify risk and protective factors for Indigenous people.

The Trump administration has requested $22 million for postsecondary Indian education programs for 2026, compared to the $196 million appropriated for those programs in 2025.

Researchers said common barriers faced by Native American children include lack of culturally relevant curriculum in their educational settings.

All are invited to The Round Dance Friday, 11/25 from 4-10pm at the Bemidji Armory!