Baesler Names New Members to Superintendent’s Student Cabinet

North Dakota School Superintendent Kirsten Baesler on Monday announced new members of her Superintendent's Student Cabinet, a group of 25 students who will offer Baesler their advice and suggestions for improving K-12 education.

The new members to the Cabinet include students who will be attending the third through the 12th grades during the 2024-25 school year. They represent public and private schools of varying sizes across North Dakota, including schools in Fargo, Belfield, Bismarck, Dunseith, Grand Forks, Hazen, Kenmare, Watford City, and Wimbledon.

Six of the 25 members served on the Cabinet during its 2022-24 term. The new group's service begins Aug. 1, 2024, and will end in July 2026. Its first meeting is scheduled for Sept. 30. It is the sixth Cabinet in the history of the program, which Baesler began in 2015.

"The Superintendent's Student Cabinet is invaluable in helping me to keep in touch with what's going on in our classrooms across the state," Baesler said. "Students don't hesitate to tell me what's going well in our schools, and where they believe improvements can be made. They have influenced North Dakota's public education policy in many ways, including anti-bullying legislation, early childhood experiences, mental health awareness, personalized learning, and encouraging greater availability of advanced academic instruction."

"I want to emphasize that the Cabinet members themselves decide what is important for them to focus on. They set their own agenda and control how they operate," the superintendent said. "I am eagerly looking forward to continuing the work of lifting up student voice with this group."

The 2024-2026 Cabinet's 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

Bullinger, Engelstad, Gartner, Gopi, Sagness, and Zerr have served on previous Cabinets. Zerr has served since 2020.

"The Superintendent's Student Cabinet offers a tremendous opportunity for young men and women to develop their abilities in leadership, decision-making, priority setting, public speaking, and team building," Baesler said. "They are on track to become leaders wherever they choose to go."

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