Jumpstart is a national early education program working toward the day that every child in America enters Kindergarten prepared to succeed. To achieve this vision, we partner teams of caring college students like yourself with local preschool classrooms located in underserved communities to promote language, literacy, and social-emotional skills. Did you know that children from low-income neighborhoods often start kindergarten 60%, or roughly 18 months, behind their more affluent peers? This is what we refer to as the “kindergarten achievement gap” and it only grows wider with each grade level if not addressed early. Jumpstart members play a vital role in our movement to close this gap and give our next generation the jumpstart needed to succeed both academically and socially.
Jumpstart is largely funded through AmeriCorps, which provides all AmeriCorps members with the Segal Education Award –currently $1,459.26– upon successful completion of the 300-hour term of service. While Jumpstart is a volunteer-based organization, students eligible for Federal Work Study (FWS) are able to earn an hourly wage for their service. Compensation starts at $17 for Corps Members. FWS eligibility is not a program requirement.
Applications are now open and can be found at www.jstart.org/apply
For priority consideration, please submit applications by no later than August 15th
Below is a tentative breakdown of the required minimum 8-12 hours/week. All hours, except session times, can be flexible according to your schedule.
- 4 hours: Session – Implement Jumpstart curriculum with your team twice per week during your 2-hour session throughout winter and spring quarters. You are committed to the same session time throughout the school year.
- Current session schedules:
- Tuesday & Thursday 9 – 11am
- Wednesday & Friday 9 – 11am
- 2 hours: Team Planning Meetings – Meet with your team weekly to debrief and prepare for upcoming session.
- 2-4 hours: Individual Planning – Prep weekly storybook, activities, materials, etc. to ensure you are prepared for each session.
- Varies: Training – Participate in pre-service and ongoing trainings throughout the year. Majority of training will take place in the fall quarter before entering the classrooms in January.
Applications are available now at jstart.org.apply. If you have any questions or would like to learn more about the work Jumpstart is doing, please visit jstart.org or reach out to site managers Brandy Guinn and Cory Knudtson at jumpstart@college.ucla.edu.
