HERTFORD — Third-graders at Hertford Grammar School Monday enjoyed a visit and book reading by Jessica Jacobs, the current Miss North Carolina.

Jacobs, 23, who founded the "Read to Me" programs in Davidson and Randolph counties, spends much of her time visiting state schools and reading to children.

Brett A. Clark/Daily Advance (ENLARGE)

Miss North Carolina Jessica Jacobs reads 'Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Book' to third-graders at Hertford Grammar School Monday.

Brett A. Clark/Daily Advance (ENLARGE)

Miss North Carolina Jessica Jacobs takes questions from Hertford Grammar School third-graders Monday. Jacobs took questions from students after reading them a book.

On Monday, Jacobs read Lauren Child's children's story "Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Book?" to a group of third-graders. Jacobs, who is a graduate communications student at N.C. State University, talked about the importance of reading. She also told the children that as a graduate student — or the "18th grade" as she described it — she is required to do a lot of reading.

"You can imagine if I'm in the 18th grade, I read a lot," she said.

Jacobs, a native of High Point, also shared with the children that it was about the time she was in third grade that her parents really encouraged her to read. In addition to becoming an avid reader, she also began taking dance lessons at a young age.

"I read a lot, I danced six days a week," she told the children. "I guess you could say I was a very focused third-grader."

Jacobs, who is a long-time dancer with the High Point Ballet, also is an ambassador for the Children's Miracle Network and a smoking prevention advocate.

She is a graduate of Ledford High School in Thomasville and earned her undergraduate's degree at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. In addition to being named Miss North Carolina, she also finished fifth in the 2008 Miss America competition in January.

However, as she explained, success did not come overnight. She entered 10 pageants before she finally got her first win. Her Miss North Carolina title came on her second time participating in the pageant.

The pageant competitions have been good preparation for her eventual career as a communications consultant, she told the children.

"It's good practice to be in front of a group of people and answer questions," she said. At N.C. State, Jacobs teaches public speaking to undergraduate students.

Jacobs reminded the students that there is more to winning the Miss North Carolina pageant than modeling. There's other aspects, such as being a good student and doing well academically.

"They only choose a Miss North Carolina from school," she said. "It's about your personality. It's about working hard in school. It's a lot about an interview."

Later Monday, Jacobs visited students at Perquimans Central School in Winfall. Communities In Schools of North Carolina also gave away books to students at both schools to coincide with Jacobs' visit.