Kirsten Baesler, a candidate for the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction, was one of the people across the country who read the book "Ladybug Girl and the Bug Squad," by David Soman and Jacky Davis, to children at exactly 10:30 a.m. Thursday.
Baesler read the book to first-graders at Washington Elementary as part of the Read for the Record campaign.
"I love first-graders," Baesler said as the children gathered around her to listen to the book, which was donated to the classroom teacher after she finished reading.
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Department of Public Instruction candidate Kirsten Baesler reads to first-graders at Washington Elementary Thursday as part of the Read for the Record campaign.
Baesler, who used to organize the local Read for the Record campaign when she worked in elementary education, said it is a program of Jumpstart that is intended to promote early childhood eduction. Last year more than 2.2 million people participated in Jumpstart's Read for the Record, according to a press release. This year's campaign was presented in partnership with the Pearson Foundation.
Jumpstart is a national early education organization that recruits and trains college students and Community Corps members to serve preschool children in low-income neighborhoods.
Baesler, who is currently associate director of the North Dakota School Board Association, is a former president of the Mandan School Board Association and a former elementary teacher and vice principal in Bismarck.
Baesler and Tracy Potter, her opponent in the DPI race, will both participate in a candidate forum Tuesday, from 1 to 2:30 p.m., in Minot State University's Aleshire Theater. The forum is open to the public.