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Community Outreach

Jumpstart for Young Children at UConn

Would you like to

  • earn your work-study??
  • earn an additional education award of $1000??
  • improve the life of a young child??

Apply now for Jumpstart positions starting in Fall 2009!

About Jumpstart

Jumpstart is a national early education organization that works toward the day every child in America enters school prepared to succeed. Through extraordinary attention in yearlong one-to-one relationships, Jumpstart inspires children to learn, adults to teach, families to get involved, and communities to progress together. Headquartered in Boston, Jumpstart pairs 3,100 trained adults one-to-one with preschool children in need of assistance. During the 2006-2007 program year, Jumpstart served nearly 12,000 children in 64 communities across 19 states and the District of Columbia, in partnership with 225 Head Start and other early learning centers across the country. For more information, visit the Jumpstart Web site at www.jstart.org.

About the UConn-Jumpstart Partnership

The University of Connecticut partnered up with Jumpstart in the 2007-2008 academic year. We were very successful in our initial year and are looking forward to growing in the coming years. We’re searching for motivated and enthusiastic students to get involved in the leadership of this growing program! Our current preschool partners are located in the Vernon-Rockville area, and include the Hockanum Valley Child Development Center, Vernon Head Start, Mansfield Discovery Depot and Vernon YMCA.


Get Involved!

There are many ways that UConn students can make a difference! We are now accepting applications for Corps Members for the Fall semester. Apply now!

Corps Members
Corps members work directly with preschool children in yearlong mentoring relationships in order to promote children’s school success. Students will serve in teams in local preschools. Corps members will be paired with a preschool child for the duration of the school year, and will also serve in a preschool classroom during the regular school day.

Jumpstart at UConn FAQ

  1. What is it like being a Jumpstart Corps member?
    Serving with Jumpstart is usually described as a very rewarding experience. To find out more, you can read Corps Member testimonials or learn more about the Jumpstart model. As a Jumpstart Corps member, you would have the opportunity to be a part of a national movement working towards the day when every child in America enters school prepared to succeed. Read more about the Jumpstart impact here.

    Working as a Jumpstart Corps Member requires a commitment of the full academic year for 10-12 hours every week. Corps Members are not expected to serve during UConn breaks, though occasional weekend work is required. Corps Members will serve twice a week in Jumpstart sessions; each consists of two hours of working directly with their partner child, followed by a one hour planning session with their team. Corps Members also provide several hours of classroom assistance time each week working in their child’s preschool classroom as a volunteer. Corps Members usually create their Jumpstart schedule around their class schedules.
  2. What are the benefits of being a Jumpstart Corps Member?
    Jumpstart offers UConn students the chance at engaging in meaningful service work while receiving extensive early childhood and professional development training. College students who participate in Jumpstart have the ability to make an extraordinary difference in the life of a young child.

    Students who are work-study eligible are able to earn their Federal Work-Study by working in Jumpstart. All Jumpstart participants who complete 300 hours of service over the course of the year are eligible for an AmeriCorps education award (worth up to an additional $1000).
  3. Where are the Jumpstart sites located?
    The Jumpstart sites are located in the Vernon area, and our current preschool partners include:
    • Hockanum Valley Child Development Center
    • Vernon Head Start
    • Vernon YMCA
    • Mansfield Discovery Depot
  4. I don’t have a car on campus. How will I get to the Jumpstart site?
    There are several different ways for Corps Members and Jumpstart participants to get to and from their preschool sites. Corps Members will most likely travel to and from Jumpstart sessions together in transportation organized by Community Outreach, either in UConn-owned and operated vehicles or by carpool. Public transportation may also be available, depending on the site. Jumpstart plans on working closely with the Corps Members and Team Leaders to organize all transportation.
  5. What kinds of hours do I need to work?
    All Corps members are expected to complete at least 300 hours of service over the course of the school year. This means that Corps members who are hired to start in the fall semester typically work about 10 hours every week, while Corps members who are hired to start in the spring semester work closer to 15 hours every week.
  6. What does a Corps member's schedule typically look like?
    Corps members complete a Jumpstart session with their team two days every week. These sessions last 2 hours, and consist of one-on-one time between the Jumpstart Corps member and his or her partner child. After the session, the Jumpstart team holds a Team planning meeting, which is an hour long. Additionally, each Jumpstart Corps member participates in at least 6 hours of Classroom Assistance Time volunteering in their child's classroom at other times during the week.
  7. What if I can only make it to one of the Jumpstart sessions every week?
    Unfortunately, it is required that Corps members are able to attend both Jumpstart sessions every week, meaning that an applicant must be available at the same time on Monday and Wednesday or Tuesday and Thursday every week.
  8. Can I still participate if I don't have work study?
    Yes! We welcome all students with an interest in Jumpstart, but do expect that students put in the same levels of effort and dedication regardless of whether they are receiving a work study stipend or volunteering their time.
  9. What if I don’t know very much about children or teaching?
    Jumpstart at UConn welcomes students who are excited about learning more about early childhood education and social responsibility. All you need to apply is a willingness to participate and learn. Jumpstart provides over 60 hours of training for all Corps Members, as well as ongoing support and supervision throughout the year.
  10. How do I apply?
    You can apply by filling out the online application here.
  11. What happens after I submit my application? A Jumpstart-UConn staff member will contact you, and if you are a strong candidate for the position, you will be asked to complete a brief phone interview. The most promising candidates will be asked to come in for an in-person interview that should last about a half-hour.
  12. What if I have more questions?
    If you have any questions, contact the Jumpstart student leader, Kristina Koprowski, at Uconn.co.jumpstart@gmail.com.

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