Child development group to sponsor mini-conference

The Douglas County Child Development Assn. will sponsor the 11th Mini-Conference from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday at the Dole Human Development Center at Kansas University. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. The workshop is open to teachers, childcare providers and parents. In-service credit will be available.

Participants will be able to attend workshops on the following topics: teaching appropriate behavior; using sign language with infants and toddlers; recognizing the characteristics of child abuse and neglect; understanding how the brain develops; good ways to tell stories; common childhood illnesses; enhancing quality through professional development; making school-age child care fun; creative movement and music for children; and infant and child CPR.

For further information, call the DCCDA office at 842-9679.

Foundation enables Baker to sponsor wellness festival

The Douglas County Community Foundation has provided a $5,000 grant to Baker University to help sponsor a community wellness festival in Baldwin this spring.

It is the university’s first gift from the foundation, which works to improve the quality of life for all Douglas County citizens.

The community wellness festival will be April 6 at Baker’s Collins Center and is sponsored by the university and the city. The free event is open to the public.

The festival will include vision and hearing screening and a cholesterol check. The American Cancer Society, American Heart Assn. and Lawrence Memorial Hospital will be represented.

Ottawa University graduate to speak about stereotypes

Lori Peek, a 1997 graduate of Ottawa University with a bachelor’s degree in sociology, will speak at 7:30 p.m. today in Mowbray Union at Ottawa University. Peek’s presentation, titled “Why Stereotyping Matters: Examining the Experiences of Arab and Muslim University Students After Sept. 11,” relates to the aftermath of the terrorist attack in New York City.

Shortly after the terrorist attack, Peek traveled to ground zero to do research for the Natural Hazards Research and Applications Information Center at the University of Colorado, where she is a research assistant.

After the attack, many people turned to the Natural Hazards and Disasters Center because of past research relating to natural disaster response.