What is Jumpstart

Jumpstart is a leading national nonprofit organization working toward the day every child in America enters school prepared to succeed.  The Center for Internships & Community Engagement launched the Jumpstart program in the Fall of 2003 at Cal State Fullerton. Jumpstart Fullerton is a collaborative service-learning program between the Center for Internships & Community Engagement and the Child & Adolescent Studies Department.

Jumpstart Fullerton pairs college students, called Corps members, with preschool children to build language, literacy, and social skills necessary to succeed not just in school, but also in life. As a Corps member, you will:

Earn academic course credit in the Child and Adolescent Studies Department

• Gain professional training in the field of early childhood education
• Provide one-to-one mentoring twice a week to a child
• Earn your Work-Study award
• Work on a team of peers to serve the local community
• Earn an education award up to $1250
• Make a difference in a child’s life!

Get Involved

There is a social readiness crisis in America, largely due to a disparity in early learning experiences. A report by the Packard and MacArhur foundations found that the average child growing up in a middle-class family has been exposed to 1000 to 1700 hours of one-to-one picture book reading. The average child growing up in a low-income family has only been exposed to 25 hours of one-to-one reading (McQuillan, 1998). Jumpstart helps to provide these preschoolers with access to high quality preschool experiences that promote language and literacy skills to prepare them for later school success.

Each year, one in three children enters kindergarten without the language, literacy, and social skills to succeed. With Jumpstart, you can help close this gap. Your one-to-one relationship will change a child’s life, apply now.

Corps Member

1. Work one-to-one with a partner child for the academic year
2. Work on a team of your peers inside of a classroom led by a team leader
3. Earn academic course credit in the Child and Adolescent Studies Department
4. Serve 300 hours and receive an education award of $1000
5. Earn Federal work-study
6. Click here to see the full Corps member position description (PDF)

Volunteer Coordinator

1. Plan community involvement activities with the Jumpstart staff
2. Recruit and train student and community volunteers
3. Work 10-12 hours a week in the Jumpstart campus office
4. Earn Federal work-study
5. Serve 300 or 450 hours and receive an education award of up to $1250
6. Click here to see the full Volunteer Coordinator position description (PDF)

Team Leader

1. Plan and implement the Jumpstart session
2. Led a team of 4-10 Corps members
3. Earn academic course credit in the Child and Adolescent Studies Department
4. Serve 450 hours and receive an education award of up to $1250
5. Earn Federal work-study
6. Click here to see the full Team Leader position description (PDF)

 Program Assistant

Work with the Jumpstart staff to support Corps members work in the classroom, trainings, administrative task, and other Jumpstart events

• Work 10-15 hours a week in the Jumpstart office
• Must be eligible for work-study
• Click here to see the full Program Assistant position description (PDF)

To apply for the program or in you have any further questions, please contact

Jo’ie Taylor: Phone: 657-278-4406

Email: jodtaylor@fullerton.edu