RedRover Readers is Coming to North Dakota!
January 7th, 2026
By Minhhan Takemoto, Program Manager –
We’re excited to share some wonderful news for families, educators, and animal lovers in North Dakota! The RedRover Readers program is officially heading to the Grand Forks community, thanks to Chelsea Hughes, Clinical Assistant Professor of Social Work at the University of North Dakota and a dedicated RedRover Readers facilitator.
With support from a competitive University of North Dakota (UND) CONNECT grant, Chelsea will lead the first-ever pilot of the North Dakota RedRover Readers program. UND CONNECT supports community-engaged projects that bring together university expertise and local partners to address meaningful needs across the state. Chelsea’s project stood out for its focus on humane education and its potential to foster empathy, emotional awareness, and kindness in young learners.
The RedRover Readers program uses high-quality children’s books centered on the human-animal bond, paired with guided, non-judgmental discussions that encourage children ages 5-11 to explore emotions, consider multiple perspectives, and practice compassion.
Through this pilot, Chelsea will partner with the Grand Forks Public Library to train and certify 20 new RedRover Readers volunteers, primarily University of North Dakota students studying social work and education. These volunteers will help facilitate engaging reading sessions that spark meaningful conversations and connections within the community.
“I couldn’t be more excited to pilot the RedRover Readers program in North Dakota and express my deepest gratitude to RedRover, the Grand Forks Public Library, and UND Connect for their tremendous support. The program’s discussion methodology has always stood out to me – its neutrality, inclusiveness, and the thoughtful reflection it evokes. The program changed the way I think about communicating with students. Not only is it a meaningful program in and of itself, but it also has great applicability in and beyond classrooms – encouraging participation, community service, and fostering empathy.”
– Chelsea Hughes, LMSW | Clinical Assistant Professor of Social Work
This pilot marks the first time the RedRover Readers program will be implemented in the state of North Dakota, and it highlights the powerful role that trained facilitators and community partnerships play in expanding humane education nationwide. We’re thrilled to see how this work will take shape and look forward to sharing photos, stories, and impact highlights as the program launches this year.
