 Bemidji Area Schools is exploring Native American culture by hosting a special concert that reached the entire district. Reporter Cheryl Moore takes us behind the scenes of that performance for this week's in focus. Culture and music go hand in hand. And Bemidji Area Schools wanted all their students to experience it. That's why they decided to host a special concert. We're working to integrate culture into the classrooms, into the everyday lessons. So we have a culture and curriculum specialist that's helping teachers integrate those things into their classrooms and then we're trying to provide other opportunities for students to learn. Musician Annie Humphrey performed for Gene Dillon 4th graders, bylaw program students, Bemidji Middle School students, and Bemidji High School students. In total, her music reached around 1,200 kids in the district. I'm a songwriter and I would talk to the kids about what I write about and my songs are just myself trying to sort out my own thoughts. Bemidji wanted to make sure that the students could connect to her music. That's why she chose her topics very carefully. For the younger kids, she kept things light, but for the older kids, she wasn't afraid to delve into tough topics. The last session I did with these juniors and seniors, I went ahead and I feel in one about going to rehab and about a family trying to get things right again. And I think that if a kid's having that issue in their home, what a relief is it to have someone else talking about it. This was the first time Bemidji area schools hosted an event like this. They held to bring more cultural programs to students that share a positive message. I hope they take away that we are all people, you know, and we should treat one another accordingly and not be judgmental by how we look and try to understand, you know, the struggles of other people and understand that ultimately we are all in this world together. Reporting in Bemidji with this week's In Focus, Shawmore, Lakeland News. If you enjoyed this segment of Lakeland News, please consider making a tax-deductible contribution to Lakeland PBS.