Jumpstart Northwestern

Jumpstart is a national early education organization working toward the day every child in America enters kindergarten prepared to succeed. Jumpstart recruits and trains college students and community Corps members to deliver a supplemental evidence-based early education program to preschool children in low-income neighborhoods and communities. The proven curriculum helps children develop the language and literacy skills they need to be ready for kindergarten, setting them on a path to close the achievement gap before it is too late. Northwestern partners with Jumpstart by taking responsibility to recruit 40 NU students as Jumpstart Corps members, managing relationships with local preschool program partners (specifically five classrooms where the corps members will volunteer), and managing the implementation of the program throughout the school year. Implementation of the program includes training corps members, supporting corps members in implementing 2-hour-long sessions (twice weekly in each classroom) according to curriculum provided by Jumpstart, and adhering to reporting guidelines set out by the national Jumpstart office and the Corporation for National & Community Service.