North Dakota Student Cabinet To Shape K-12 Education Future

North Dakota School Superintendent Kirsten Baesler announced the latest members of her Superintendent’s Student Cabinet on Monday.

This group of 25 students from across the state will provide valuable insights and recommendations aimed at enhancing K-12 education in North Dakota.

The new Cabinet members, who will be in grades 3 through 12 during the 2024-25 school year, come from a diverse range of public and private schools, including institutions in Fargo, Belfield, Bismarck, Dunseith, Grand Forks, Hazen, Kenmare, Watford City, and Wimbledon.

Among the new appointees, six students are returning members from the previous 2022-24 Cabinet.

The term for this new group starts on August 1, 2024, and will run through July 2026, with their first meeting set for September 30, 2024. This marks the sixth iteration of the Cabinet, a program initiated by Baesler in 2015.

“The Superintendent’s Student Cabinet is an essential tool for staying connected with the realities of our classrooms statewide,” Baesler stated. “Students provide honest feedback on what’s working and where improvements are needed.

Their input has significantly influenced North Dakota’s education policies, including those related to anti-bullying, early childhood education, mental health, personalized learning, and advanced academic opportunities.”

Baesler emphasized that Cabinet members have the autonomy to determine their own focus areas and set their agenda. “I am excited to continue amplifying student voices through this dedicated group,” she added.

The new Cabinet members are:

Miles Rerick, 3rd Grade, Eastwood Elementary School, West Fargo
Benjamin Drohan, 4th Grade, Edison Elementary School, Minot
Eliza Owen, 4th Grade, Naughton Elementary School, Bismarck
Eshaan Kathawala, 5th Grade, Elk Ridge Elementary School, Bismarck
Bianca Sagness, 5th Grade, Kenmare Public School, Kenmare
Hadley Matthys, 6th Grade, Northern Cass, Hunter
Evelyn Meisel, 6th Grade, The Innovation School, Bismarck
Alice Brooks, 7th Grade, Capstone Classical Academy, Fargo
Heidi Olsen, 7th Grade, Central Cass, Casselton
Addyson Rademacher-Nyame, 7th Grade, Mandan Middle School, Mandan
Logan Engelstad, 8th Grade, Cheney Middle School, West Fargo
Audrina Schreiner, 8th Grade, Mayville-Portland-Clifford-Galesburg, Mayville
Carley Bullinger, 9th Grade, Trinity High School, Dickinson
Samuel Chase, 9th Grade, Fargo North High School, Fargo
Anna Dangerfield, 9th Grade, Minot North High School, Minot
Ian Elston, 9th Grade, Barnes County North Public School, Wimbledon
Sophia Johnson, 9th Grade, Legacy High School, Bismarck
Dokia Chruszch, 10th Grade, Belfield Public School, Belfield
Olivia Gartner, 10th Grade, Hazen High School, Hazen
Chinmay Gopi, 10th Grade, North High School, Fargo
Bridger Rivinius, 10th Grade, Gackle-Streeter Public School, Gackle
Danica Magnus, 11th Grade, Dakota Prairie High School, Petersburg
Aiden Pelton, 11th Grade, Watford City High School, Watford City
Tanner Thiefoe, 11th Grade, Dunseith High School, Dunseith
Eli Zerr, 12th Grade, Red River High School, Grand Forks

Returning members include Bullinger, Engelstad, Gartner, Gopi, Sagness, and Zerr, with Zerr serving since 2020.

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Baesler noted, “The Superintendent’s Student Cabinet provides a remarkable platform for students to hone their leadership, decision-making, and public speaking skills.

They are poised to become future leaders in their communities and beyond.”