GREAT FALLS — Students from Great Falls College and Helena College will come together Friday, April 17, for Currents of Connection, a cross‑campus communication symposium designed to highlight the power of storytelling and the role meaningful discourse plays in building stronger communities.
The event will take place from 6 to 8 p.m. in Heritage Hall on the Great Falls College campus. Six student speakers will share five‑minute narrative speeches with a community audience and a panel of three community judges will award cash prizes to the top speakers.
“I am excited for Helena College and Great Falls College students to share their stories with one another and the broader community. This is an incredible opportunity for students to showcase their communication skills and highlight how meaningful discourse can foster empathy, understanding and connection in our communities,” said Helena College communications instructor Veronica Mohrmann.
Great Falls College communications instructor Dr. Amy Pearson said the symposium reflects the shared commitment of both colleges to helping students grow as confident, thoughtful communicators.
“Storytelling invites us to listen deeply and see the world through someone else’s eyes. Our students work hard to develop their voices, and this event gives them a chance to use those voices in ways that strengthen understanding across our community,” Pearson said.
Local Toastmasters from the Electric City Noon Toastmasters will act as judges with keynote speaker Jordan Lankford-Forster (Bright Trail Woman)
Keynote Speaker: Jordann Lankford‑Forster (Bright Trail Woman)
Lankford‑Forster, an A’aniiih and Anishinaabe educator whose work centers on building cultural understanding and strengthening connections across communities, brings a wealth of experience as the keynote speaker. Lankford, whose A’aniiih name is Bright Trail Woman, serves as an Indigenous Education for All instructional coach and teacher for Great Falls Public Schools, where her leadership has helped make American Indian Studies one of the most engaging and sought‑after subjects at Paris Gibson Education Center.
“Jordann’s work reminds us that connection is built through truth, culture and courageous storytelling,” Pearson said. “Her leadership shows how understanding our histories can strengthen the ties that hold our communities together. We’re honored to have her share that vision with us.”
Lankford‑Forster’s statewide and national impact reflects the symposium’s theme of connection. She supports educators across Montana in embedding authentic cultural content into their classrooms and serves as chairwoman of the Montana Advisory Council on Indian Education, president of the Potlatch Fund and a Montana representative for the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights.
Her work has earned significant recognition, including being named Montana Indigenous Teacher of the Year, the 2022 Montana History Teacher of the Year and one of the National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development’s 40 Under 40. She is also the first Montanan selected as a Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes fellow.
Lankford-Forster is co-facilitator for Bright Trail Education, which presents around the state and across the United States.
The symposium is free to attend.