Author James Han Mattson ~ NatGeo Certified Educator Kathrina O'Connell ~ Joe Cocker Contest

Monday, July 8 – Author James Han Mattson was born in Seoul, South Korea and raised in Grand Forks. His writing has garnered critical praise. He is currently an assistant professor of English and Creative Writing at Murray State in Kentucky. He’s returning to North Dakota for appearances sponsored by the North Dakota Human Rights Coalition with funding from North Dakota Humanities. ~~~ Kathrina O’Connell is a sixth-grade teacher at Lake Park Audubon Elementary. She’s also a National Geographic Certified Educator. She joins us to discuss that program and explain her cross-curricular teaching as her sixth-grade students collaborated with field experts to research conservation and maintenance of land on their local prairie in northwestern Minnesota. ~~~ Prairie Public is sponsoring a singing contest, seeking entries from people willing to do a cover of “With a Little Help From My Friends,” which was performed by Joe Cocker at Woodstock 50 years ago this summer. We’ll pick one standout singer to perform the song with the house band on August 17 at Bluestem: 50th Anniversary of Peace and Music. Promoter Merrill Piepkorn is here to explain.