N.D. first lady promotes early literacy

• First Lady Betsy Dalrymple

First Lady Betsy Dalrymple

Talk about it

North Dakota first lady Betsy Dalrymple plans to address the North Dakota Association of Elementary School Principals on Thursday at the Ramada Inn in Grand Forks.

She’s also scheduled to visit Viking Elementary School on Friday to read to students in kindergarten and combined second- and third-grade classrooms.

Dalrymple, a former elementary school teacher in Fargo, is a proponent of early literacy. As first lady, she has focused her efforts on early childhood education and volunteerism.

Her talk at the principals’ conference will focus on Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, a program that sends a free, age-appropriate book every month to children up to age 5 at a cost of $25 per year.

Grand Forks is gearing up to offer this program through the United Way and the Grand Forks Education Foundation.

A formal kick-off is planned for May 3 when the United Way will begin accepting children’s names for the program, said Pat Berger, president of United Way of Grand Forks, East Grand Forks and Area.

“Our big focus area is education, and children entering school who are starting to read,” she said, “so we’re very excited.”

North Dakota communities that offer Imagination Library are: Ashley, Belfield; Bismarck/Mandan; Cass County; Dunseith; Ellendale; Fairmount; Flasher; Fort Totten; Midway Public School District; Napoleon; Rugby; Theodore Jamerson School at United Tribes Technical College; Washburn; Williston; and Wishek.

For more information, call (701) 328-1010; email firstlady@nd.gov, or log on to Imagination_Library.com

Dalrymple, wife of Gov. Jack Dalrymple, was selected to receive the Children’s Champion Award by the North Dakota Association for the Education of Young Children in 2011.

Reach Knudson at (701) 780-1107; (800) 477-6572, ext. 107; or send e-mail to pknudson@gfherald.com.

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