For students considering what comes after high school, the path to a healthcare career can seem distant. Dr. Jessica Rickert, DDS, a pioneering Native American dentist, and Alayna Waara, an Ojibwe student at the University of Michigan School of Dentistry with roots in Baraga and L’Anse, recently brought that possibility closer to Baraga County students through telling their own personal journeys. Dr. Rickert and Waara visited both L’Anse and Baraga Area Schools on Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2026, as part of their outreach to students about higher education and careers in healthcare, connecting their message with students in both communities. To read more, subscribe to the L’Anse Sentinel online, or buy a print copy at our local retailers.