May 2023

KBIC NEWS

WAABIGWANI GIIZIS - FLOWER MOON

Inaugural KBIC Spring Contest Pow Wow Attracts

Hundreds of Drummers, Dancers & Spectators

2023 TRIBAL COUNCIL

Doreen Blaker, President

Toni J. Minton, Vice President

Elizabeth "Liz" Julio, Secretary

Robert R.D. Curtis, Jr, Asst. Secretary

Theodore "Austin" Ayres, Treasurer

Eddy Edwards

Everett Ekdahl, Jr.

Sue Ellen Elmblad

Randall Haataja

Kim Klopstein

Susan J. LaFernier

Rodney Loonsfoot

IN THIS ISSUE

PRESIDENT'S REPORT

CEO'S CORNER

YOUTH SPORTS

HIGHLIGHTS

ANISHINAABE

DENTAL OUTREACH

VA WAIVES

COPAYMENTS FOR ELIGIBLE NATIVE

AMERICAN/ALASKA

NATIVE VETERANS

The Keweenaw Bay Indian Community hosted the inaugural Spring Contest Pow Wow at the Ojibwa Casino Marquette Event Center on April 14, 15, and 16. Drummers, dancers, and spectators traveled from across the US, including parts of Canada, to attend the 3-day pow wow.

Ten drums competed in the drum contest, and almost 500 dancers competed in categories ranging from Tiny Tots to Golden Age Combined.

Head Dancers were Richard and Lonna Street, and Head Veteran Dancer was John Teller, Jr.

Office of the President

Boozhoo Anin Gakina,

For the month of April, the Tribal Council had five Special Meetings. The Tribal Council took action on the following items listed below.

05/04/2023 Special Meeting

Approved bid for 1993 Cat Front End Loader from Fabick Cat for $27,500.

Approved KB-024-2023 Britanee Gauthier lease

04/12/2023 – Finance Meeting

Financial review of Enterprises and Tribal Businesses with the CFO

04/18/2023 – Special Meeting

KBIC Associate Judge Interviews Motion to appoint Tashina Emery to the Associate Judge position.

04/19/2022 – Special Meeting

Approved the 2023 Campground and Marina rates

Approved a bid from JX Truck Center for parts to repairs a Solid Waste Vehicle for $5,119.98.

Approved the bid from Dell for components to build Fuels Module workstation in the amount of $17,718.95

Approved negotiations with a salvage company for three vessels, the submerged tug “The Katherine”, the commercial fishing tug “Kathy” and the vessel referred to as the “Corey”.

Approved a donation to the Wiikwedong Early Childhood Collaborative Childrens Water Walk in the amount of $1,366 00

Approved a $500 donation to the Copper County Habitat for Humanity Portable Sauna Raffle.

Approved the GLIFWC Subcontract for the Great Lakes Special Projects and USFWS Sea Lamprey Program.

Approved Resolution KB-028-2023 Resolution of Support for Tribal Home Visiting

Approved Sub-contractual Agreement for Healthy Start Initiative 2023-2024.

Approved Tier IIB Service Agreement with JP Transport & Logging Services

04/26/2023 – Special Meeting

Approved the Alternative Work Schedule

Amendment (Government Employee Policy)

Approved the Bereavement Policy

Amendment (Government Employee Policy)

Approved the Career Development Policy

Amendment (Government Employee Policy)

Approved the amendments to the Purchasing & Procurement Policy

Approved the amendment to the Sick Leave Policy

(Government Employee Policy)

Approved Software upgrade bid from North American video for the Marquette Ojibwa Casino Surveillance System in the amount of $31,254 54

Where did that snow come from?? Very strange start to May but before we know it we will be enjoying Memorial Day weekend, outdoor graduation parties, warm nights, and camping. There is so much to look forward to this month, starting with the National Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) Awareness Day on May 5th. Check out Carole LaPointe’s, Niimigimiwang Transitional

Home Lead, article on page 5 for more on this. If you haven’t purchased a MMIW shirt yet, they are at the Tribal Center for $10!

April was a successful month with the inaugural Keweenaw Bay Band of Lake Superior Ojibwe Spring Contest Powwow being the highlight. Witnessing the hundreds of beautiful dancers and regalia was breathtaking. I know all I received were positive responses with the clear notion that we have already outgrew the current Casino space. Look for a new space to allow for maximum spectator access next year ��

For the month of April, I:

Attended a Health Insurance Assessment meeting with M3

Attended a Rural Economic Development follow-up meeting

Met with Syncurrent group

Assisted Tribal Social Services with BIA Quarterly reporting

Attended a Keweenaw Heartlands Blueprint Governance meeting

Attended a Great Lakes Sports Commission Board meeting

Completed Annual 2023 Cybersecurity training

Attended Associate Judge interviews

Met with Brad Heffner, Associate General Counsel and Strategic External Relations Advisor, Michigan Economic Development Corporation

Met with Health Clinic Administration and Behavior Health staff

Met with Marketing consultants on website development and planning

Attended a Policy Review Workgroup meeting

Met with Public Works staff on Building Improvement project

Attended Michigamme Highlands Project meeting with KBIC staff, partners, and Michigan DNR

Met with Baraga Telephone Company to discuss grant and partnership opportunities

Met with CradlePoint to discuss broadband/wireless options

Met with Innovate Marquette and Syncurrent staff before event on 4/27 at Niiwin Akeaa

Met with Tom Durkee from MEDC to discuss Tribal Grant Program opportunities and procedure

Met with ACF to discuss Title IV-E and the KBIC CostAllocation Method

Completed Quarterly SLRFR Department of Treasury reporting

Held two Indigenous Insight updates

Attended three Tribal Council meetings

Held weekly and monthly department head update meetings

At the Tribal Council meeting held April 26th, there were several changes made to the Personnel Policy Handbook for employees:

7.10 Alternative Work Policy

12.2 Utilizing Sick Leave

16 0 Career Development/Education Leave

18 0 Bereavement

Also, at this meeting, many updates were made to the KBIC Purchasing and Procurement policy. These changes were made to meet the most recent changes made to the overall 2 CFR 200.320 methods of procurement rules.

Lastly, May is Mental Health Awareness Month This month should be a reminder that no matter your situation in life, we all matter. Showing up, just as you are, for yourself and the people around you is MORE than enough. So, drop the expectations, the judgements, comparisons, stresses, the worries, concerns, and negativity toxicity, and know exactly how you show up, is more than enough

Stay healthy, Brigitte

May 5, 2023: Honoring the Lives and Legacies of Missing and Murdered Indigenous People

Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) Awareness Day is on May 5 and provides just one opportunity to honor the countless lives that have been lost while elevating the need for greater awareness to address violence against Indigenous communities –particularly women and girls. The Michigan Domestic and Sexual Violence Prevention and Treatment Board has issued a resolution to acknowledge MMIP Awareness Day and encourages attendance at gatherings and marches hosted by federally recognized tribes throughout Michigan “The needs surrounding missing and murdered women and Indigenous people are long-standing issues connected to this country’s history of assimilation polices,” said the Hon. Melissa Pope, Chief Judge of the Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi and member of the Michigan Domestic and Sexual Violence Prevention and Treatment Board “We need allies in this work, and we need every advocate to remember the historical trauma and suffering of Indigenous people. I am honored to represent the Board at the March for MMIP in Grand Rapids on May 5 and encourage all Michiganders to attend local events that recognize the lives of murdered and missing Indigenous people and relatives ”

“For too long, missing and murdered Indigenous people and their relatives have not received the supportive care, programs, and services they need and deserve,” said the Hon. Libby Hines (Ret.), Chair of the Michigan Domestic and Sexual Violence Prevention and Treatment Board. “Our Board is committed to improving state laws and policies as we work to prevent these egregious acts of violence while relentlessly pursuing justice on behalf of all Indigenous people in Michigan ” Click the buttons below to download the Board-issued resolution for MMIP and accompanying fact sheet.

Board Resolution

MMIP Fact Sheet

Did You Know?

The Division of Victim Services (DVS) partners with nine federally recognized tribes in Michigan and provides funding for sexual assault and domestic violence programs that offer services to individual survivors with a culturally honoring approach Services include Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) programs, shelter, victim rights advocacy, victim advocates, housing relocation assistance, and individual client assistance. DVS also funds the StrongHearts Native Helpline, which is an anonymous and confidential domestic and sexual violence helpline for Native Americans and Alaska Natives offering culturally appropriate support and advocacy

Cases of missing and murdered Indigenous people –particularly women and girls – are under-reported, underinvestigated, and remain unsolved throughout the United States According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, murder is the third-leading cause of death among American Indian and Alaska Native Women on Tribal lands. Research published by the National Institute of Justice indicates that more than four in five American Indian and Alaska Native women – over 84 percent – have experienced violence in their lifetime, including stalking, sexual violence, and physical abuse by an intimate partner

Pre-Primary Employees Earn Child Development Associate

Makenna Miller and Shelby Lamb have been awarded their Child Development Associate, CDA.

For the past few months, both have worked closely with Wiikwedong Member Cheryl LaRose to assemble their Professional Portfolio The portfolios consist of Documentation (120 professional development hours in 8 required components, with a minimum of 10 hours in each component), Competency Statements, Philosophy Statement, Resources, and Family Questionnaires.

Upon completing their portfolios, Julie Catherino, Quality Improvement Specialist from Great Start to Quality, provided the Assessment, an audit, and a review of their portfolios. Julie also observed both candidates while working with the children and ended with an interview between Julie and the candidates.

They attended the MTU Testing Center for their final exam.

Congratulations to Makenna and Shelby for all your hard work and dedication in the Early Childhood Field.

May - Older Americans Month Proclamation

Live Long! Age Strong! Stay Active! Be smart!

Whereas the Anishinaabe is a community that includes precious citizens aged 60 and older;

Whereas, the older Anishinaabe adults are among of our most “treasured resources,” united by historical experiences, strengthened by diversity, and interpreting events through unique perspectives and backgrounds to bring wisdom and insight to our community;

Whereas our elders are remaining strong and active for longer than ever before;

Whereas the older Anishinaabe adults in Michigan deserve recognition and respect for the contributions they have made and will continue to make to our culture, economy, and character of our community and our nation;

Whereas our community can provide tools for improving the quality of life for older Americans by:

Increasing their opportunities to remain active and engaged in community life

Providing individualized services and support systems to maintain the dignity, independence, and selfdetermination of our Anishinaabe elders.

Combating ageist attitudes by honoring their past, present, and future contributions.

Now therefore, we do hereby proclaim May to be Older Americans Month

We recognize that our Anishinaabe elders do enrich our entire community’s quality of life.

We urge every citizen to take time this month to honor our elders and to thank the professionals, family members, and volunteers who care for many of them.

A healthy mouth enhances the overall health for all Anishinaabe Why not control what we can to improve our own vitality and our elders’ vitality?

The American Dental Association recommends that our elders:

Brush the teeth twice or more per day. Use an oscillating power toothbrush. Floss regularly. There are many interdental cleaning aids available.

Fluoride is a proven cavity-preventing mineral. Use daily fluoride toothpaste, a fluoride rinse and fluoride varnish treatments at the dentist’s office

Visit your dentist routinely for a checkup and cleaning.

Consider having your teeth cleaned 3 times per year.

Tell the dentist about any medical conditions you have and medications you take.

The dentist does an oral cancer exam at each dental examination.

Eat a well-balanced diet with fruits and vegetables

Quit smoking. Smoking increases the risk for oral cancer & gum disease

Limit alcoholic beverages.

Use lip balm with sunscreen

Drink only water throughout the day.

Replace missing teeth to aid in eating, speech and to maintain the form, shape, and function of the mouth.

Keep your dentures clean by brushing dentures every day and soaking them in water or a denture-cleansing liquid at night.

o Be sure to leave them out of your mouth while you sleep.

Education of the caregiver, as well as the patient, is an important part of the prevention of dental disease.

Oral health problems in older adults include the following:

Untreated tooth decay. 1 in 5 older Americans have untreated tooth decay.

Gum disease A high percentage of older adults have gum disease Gum recession can expose root surfaces to harmful bacteria

Tooth loss. Having missing teeth can affect nutrition, because people without teeth or with dentures often prefer soft, mushy foods, which foods are high in sugar, carbohydrate and fat content.

Oral cancer. Cancers of the mouth and throat are primarily diagnosed at the median age of 62 years. Chronic disease.

Untreated dental disease causes an inflammatory cascade in the body which worsens chronic diseases such as arthritis, diabetes, heart diseases, pneumonia and chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases.

Many older Americans take both prescription and over-the-counter drugs, which can contribute to dental disease and can impact dental appointments

Dry mouth. Reduced can lead to mucositis, root cavities, increased tartar, cracked lips, and fissured tongue.

Home oral care can be lacking due to cognitive as well as physical and sensory limitations Dental care in the dentist’s office might also be affected

https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidentialactions/2021/05/03/a-proclamation-on-older-americansmonth-

2021/#:~:text=NOW%2C%20THEREFORE%2C%20I%2C %20JOSEPH%20R.%20BIDEN%20JR.%2C%20President,A mericans%20during%20this%20month%20and%20through out%20t

https://www cdc gov/oralhealth/basics/adult-oralhealth/adult older.htm

https://www.ada.org/resources/research/science-andresearch-institute/oral-health-topics/aging-and-dentalhealth

https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/taking-care-your-teethand-mouth

https://www health harvard edu/diseases-andconditions/the-aging-mouth-and-how-to-keep-it-younger https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/healthy-meal-planningtips-older-adults

https://domf5oio6qrcr.cloudfront.net/medialibrary/2669/i llustration-of-mouth-showing-potential-trouble-sp.jpg

Thank you Your continued support means everything to me Stay Strong,

231-313-8407, jrickert@deltadentalmi com; jarickert@charter net

Jessica A. Rickert, DDS, Anishinaabe Dental Outreach

Jessica A Rickert, DDS honors her grandparents, Levi and Ellen Whitepigeon, at the University of Michigan School of Dentistry Museum It is their courage, their strength which has brought Dr Rickert to this day.

VA waives copayments for eligible Native American/Alaska Native Veterans

WASHINGTON Today, the Department of Veterans Affairs announced that eligible American Indian and Alaska Native Veterans are no longer required to make copayments for health care and urgent care received through VA. The Biden-Harris administration and VA are proud to implement this rule, which is estimated to impact approximately 25,000 American Indian and Alaska Native Veterans.

Under this new policy, VA will reimburse copayments paid on or after Jan. 5, 2022 and waive future copayments for eligible American Indian and Alaska Native Veterans.

Beginning Tuesday, April 4, Veterans can submit documentation to qualify for the copayment exemption. Eligible Veterans include any Veteran who meets the definitions of “Indian” or “urban Indian” under the Indian Health Care Improvement Act – including Veterans who are members of an American Indian Tribe, certain Veterans who are descendants of Tribe members, Alaska Native Veterans, and more.

“American Indian and Alaska Native Veterans deserve access to world-class health care for their courageous service to our nation,” said VA Secretary Denis McDonough. “By eliminating copays, we are making VA health care more affordable and accessible which will lead to better health outcomes for these heroes.”

To receive this financial relief, eligible Veterans should mail 1) a completed VA Tribal Documentation Form (VA Form 10-334), and 2) a copy of official tribal documentation demonstrating that they meet the definitions of “Indian” or “urban Indian” to VHA Tribal Documentation, PO Box 5100, Janesville, WI 53547. For more information on copayment waivers for Native American and Alaska Native Veterans, visit here.

VA posted a final rule for public inspection in the Federal Register today establishing the waiver and process for Veterans to submit documentation to have their VA copays waived. This rule implements Section 3002 of the Johnny Isakson and David P. Roe, M.D. Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 2020 Public Law 116-315, signed into law Jan 5, 2021

Learn more about copayment exemptions for Native American and Alaska Native Veterans and VA benefits and programs for American Indian and Alaska Native Veterans.

Baraga County Schools Release

Third Marking Period Honor Roll & Perfect Attendance

Baraga, L'Anse Area, and Marquette Schools have released grades for the second marking period The following KBIC students attained honor roll, perfect attendance, or both. Students marked with an asterisk indicate all A's.

Congratulations, and keep up the hard work!

Perfect Attendance

C. J. Sullivan Elementary School

Kindergarten

Brodie Voakes

1st Grade

Kennadie Forcia

3rd Grade

Kaylee Forcia

Sadie Voakes

Honor Roll

C.J. Sullivan Elementary School

4th Grade

Derek Dix

Kobe Forcia

5th Grade

Xander Seppanen

Honor Roll & Perfect Attendance C.J. Sullivan Elementary School

5th Grade

Nathan Friisvall

Perfect Attendance

L'Anse Jr/Sr High School

7th Grade

Brendon Friisvall

Anen Maki

Princess Pierre

8th Grade

Matthew Stein

12th Grade

Tokala Chosa

Honor Roll

L'Anse Jr/Sr High School

6th Grade

Neldelya Chosa

Alice Curtis

Kiera Dix

Lealynd Dunleavy

7th Grade

Payton LeClaire

10th Grade

Rayleah Jacobs

Dallas Moulden

12th Grade

Mariana Teikari

Honor Roll & Perfect Attendance

L'Anse Jr/Sr High School

7th Grade

Breyelle Bowers*

9th Grade

Keyden Goodbird

12th Grade

Cassandra Zasadnyj

Perfect Attendance

Philip LaTandresse

Elementary School

Kindergarten

Lily Lahti

2nd Grade

Austin Shelifoe

Honor Roll

Philip LaTandresse

Elementary School

4th Grade

Aaliyah Loonsfoot

5th Grade

Adrianna Kyllonen

Honor Roll & Perfect Attendance

Philip LaTandresse

Elementary School

4th Grade

Kruze Ekdahl

5th Grade

Kadynce Loonsfoot*

Perfect Attendance

Baraga Jr/Sr High School

11th Grade

Destin Gauthier

Honor Roll Baraga Jr/Sr High School

6th Grade

Madyson Evans

8th Grade

Noah Evans

11th Grade

Christina Anderson

12th Grade

Kylie Michaelson

Javon Shelifoe

Honor Roll & Perfect Attendance Baraga Jr/Sr High School

10th Grade

Rylee Holm

11th Grade

Dhanya Ekdahl

Kamrin Kahkonen

Police Officer Swearing in Ceremony

Cody Clement is the son of Greg and Joanne Clement of L'Anse He graduated from L'Anse Area Schools and obtained a Bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice from Grand Valley State University.

After graduation, Cody worked for the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission for two and a half years, working in the Lac Vieux Desert and KBIC reservations as a Conservation Warden

Cody joins the KBIC Tribal Police as a Conservation/Police Officer.

After eight years of living in bustling Ann Arbor in densely populated southeast Michigan, Rebecca Larson is returning to the natural beauty and slower pace of the state’s mostly rural Upper Peninsula. She graduates from the University of Michigan School of Dentistry the first week in May and will return to practice dentistry in the area where she grew up on the far west side of the U.P.

About 1,900 people live in her hometown of Baraga on the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community reservation. Baraga (pronounced BEAR-a-ga) is on L’Anse Bay at the base of the eastern side of the Keweenaw Peninsula that juts north into Lake Superior.

It’s a long way from Ann Arbor, both literally – 500 miles and an 8-hour drive – and figuratively, given the wide-ranging geographic and demographic extremes between Michigan’s southern and northern parts. Southeast Michigan has been a good home while Larson was earning her undergraduate and dental degrees at U-M Now, with her dental license in hand, she says she is thrilled to be returning to live and work among the network of family and friends who have been unwavering in support of her quest to become a dentist.

Larson will practice about an hour south of Baraga on the reservation of another band of Lake Superior Chippewa – the Lac Vieux Desert (pronounced lack view du-ZAIR) Located in the village of Watersmeet, the Lac Vieux Desert Health Center is a Federally Qualified Health Center, or FQHC. Clinics with this designation provide medical and dental care for underserved areas and patients, often in economically depressed areas around the country While this particular clinic is a convenient resource for the tribal community, it also serves the general public from across the western part of the U.P.

Knowing the region and its people gives Larson a built-in advantage as she begins her dental career. Her connection to the Ojibwa tribe is referred to as a first-generation descendent, based on the tribal ancestry of one of her grandfathers and her mother Growing up on the reservation in Baraga, she has seen first-hand the difficulties experienced by the tribal community and has a deep respect for its culture in the mostly rural areas across the region.

Larson was compelled to return to her roots is because she wants to be part of the solution for the unique challenges of dental care in the U P The need for dental care there is acute for several reasons. The geography, with long distances between relatively small rural communities, means the population and dentists are spread out more than in urban areas. The time and expense of long drives to a dentist office can discourage patients from scheduling regular check-ups and can stall treatment until a minor problem grows into something more serious or an emergency. In addition, many areas of the U.P. have a lower median income compared to other parts of the state, so affording dental care is also an issue that can delay or prevent treatment.

“Where I’ll be working is a 100 percent underserved population, but they are also people who still deserve good dental care,” she said. “Hopefully, by me going back there, I can help not only the Watersmeet community but surrounding communities as well ”

During dental school, with an eye toward practicing in the U.P., Larson chose to stick with her general dentistry education rather than focus on a specialty like orthodontics, endodontics or cosmetic dentistry. “A lot of people up in the U.P. are at the dentist because they are in pain,” Larson said. “I want to be that person to help them.

A commitment to return home after DDS graduation and serve the American Indian community in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula

That’s why I stayed with general dentistry. I’m more a person to help people get out of pain. I’m not really into the whole cosmetic dentistry side of things I’d rather just help people be comfortable. But I also have the skills to make them happy with their smile, so I will be able to do that, too.”

Larson credits her childhood dentist, Dr. Brent Johnson, with generating her interest in dentistry “I first started thinking about dentistry when I was mature enough to understand and appreciate how personable, committed and professional Dr. Johnson was,” she said. “What I respected most about him and his job was that he was able to meet new people, watch them mature, and form valued relationships, in addition to providing dental care to an underserved area ”

Administrators there valued Larson’s contributions so much that – before she had even started dental school – they offered her a contract for returning as a staff dentist after she graduated. Uncertain of how dental school and her future interests would evolve, she did not immediately sign the agreement. Then last year, as she started her final year of dental school, she signed the contract after she decided that Lac Vieux Desert fit her criteria as a great first place to begin her career as a dentist

The best part of dental school were the final two-plus years when students move beyond the classroom and begin treating patients in-clinic. “I absolutely love seeing patients here at the School of Dentistry,” Larson said. “They are very, very sweet people who wanted to know more about me since I’m treating them, and I want to know more about them That patient rapport is important so they are able to trust me, which provides for a better dental experience for both my patient and for me.”

One woman was so happy with how Larson improved her smile that she sent a thank-you letter to dental school administrators. “The patients express their gratitude to me every time I see them. They have even said, ‘Can you live closer to me or I’ll have to travel eight hours up to see you (in the Upper Peninsula) ’ I said, ‘Come on up. You get in touch with me and I will definitely see you.’ If a patient from down here actually showed up in my office in the U.P., that would be pretty epic,” Larson says with a smile.

While earning her undergraduate degree at U-M, Larson prepared to apply to dental school, but she decided to wait a year after earning her bachelor’s degree before committing to what she knew would be another four years of very challenging education. “Do I really want this?” was the question. To confirm that she was on the right path, she spent her “gap year” working as a dental assistant at the Lac Vieux Desert Health Center

The job confirmed that she loved dentistry and that she received great satisfaction from helping the underserved community of patients at the center.

As graduation nears only a few weeks from now, Larson says it feels surreal to have made it through the four years of dental school. This final year of dental school, like the first three, has been a blur of activity that is both challenging and rewarding. “At first, I was in awe. It was overwhelming, all this information being thrown at me. But I knew I needed to get used to it because it was going to be the next four years of my life It’s about ‘adapt and overcome’ – adapting to each of the four years of dental school because it’s always something new. You get used to it. You learn. And you continue learning and you keep moving on and you keep chugging. I’m super proud of myself for doing that because it was a tough four years.”

She also credits her network of family and friends, including dental school classmates whom she expects to be lifelong friends “I’m very thankful for everyone at home. My success down here, having two degrees from Michigan, wouldn’t have happened without the huge support system I have. My family, and my friends down here and my friends at home, and the entire community at home. Whether it’s a text or message or phone call asking how I’m doing, it really meant a lot to me I couldn’t have done this down here without them ”

“I’m just proud to be able to represent the KBIC (Keweenaw Bay Indian Community) and the west side of the U.P. It’s pretty unheard of for a dual-degree ‘Yooper’ to have degrees from such a prestigious school like Michigan.”

Beyond her family and tribal ties and the excitement of starting her career, living in the U.P. has other quality-oflife advantages that she can’t wait to re-engage with: the peace and quiet of nature away from the urban population centers; family time spent camping and boating on Lake Superior in the summers; the lake’s scenic vistas at sunrise and sunset; and a generally slower way of life along the rural roads.

“There’s nothing like growing up on dirt roads, that’s what I love,” Larson says. “It’s a beautiful place to live, but not a lot of people can handle those harsh winters with more than 300 inches of snow per year. Growing up way up north, I’m just used to it It’s second nature for me ”

“It’s like they say: You can take the girl out of the U P , but you can’t take the U.P. out of the girl.”

The University of Michigan School of Dentistry is one of the nation’s leading dental schools engaged in oral healthcare education, research, patient care and community service. General dental care clinics and specialty clinics providing advanced treatment enable the school to offer dental services and programs to patients throughout Michigan. Classroom and clinic instruction prepare future dentists, dental specialists and dental hygienists for practice in private offices, hospitals, academia and public agencies. Research seeks to discover and apply new knowledge that can help patients worldwide. For more information about the School of Dentistry, visit us on the Web at: www.dent.umich.edu.

Contact: Lynn Monson, associate director of communications, atdentistry.communications@umich.edu, or (734) 6151971.

Breyelle Bowers, for the mixed 7/8 grade volleyball team at L'Anse Area Schools, goes up against two blockers during the L'Anse Volleyball tournament

Kwynn Voskuhl, for the mixed 7/8 grade volleyball team at L'Anse Area Schools, goes up against a blocker during the L'Anse Volleyball tournament.

Kylie Michaelson, a senior for the Baraga High School Track team, took home first place in the shot put on Thursday, May 4, at the Lakes Invitational in Lake Linden, MI

Payton LeClaire, for the mixed 7/8 grade volleyball team at L'Anse Area Schools, sets the ball during the L'Anse Volleyball tournament.

Breyelle Bowers, for the Northland Elite 13U, goes up for a basket during a tournament in Ashland, Wisconsin.

Princess Pierre, for the Northland Elite 13U, goes up for a basket during a tournament in Ashland, Wisconsin

Kwynn Voskuhl, for the Northland Elite 13U, dribbles by a defender during a tournament in Ashland Wisconsin

Brody Clements, 8th grade, for the Bothwell Middle School Track Team, took first place in the 1600-meter run with a time of 5:36.73 at the Bothwell Middle School Track Meet on April 25, 2023