UA Brings National Jumpstart Program to Akron Area

Akron, Ohio, April 16, 2004 — Akron-area Head Start youngsters will have a greater chance to succeed as The University of Akron's College of Education brings Jumpstart —the national AmeriCorps early childhood enrichment program — to the Akron area.

Jumpstart pairs Federal Work Study college students with Head Start three- to five-year-olds. The program is designed to improve a preschooler's success, encourage family involvement in learning, and inspire college student to be future teachers and leaders.

More than 200 preschool children at The Decker Family Development Center in Barberton and 300 children at the Akron Summit Community Action, Inc. (ASCA) Five Points Head Start Center in Akron are benefiting from 20 UA students participating in the Jumpstart-Akron Corps program — the first in Northeast Ohio. University students commit 300 hours — a combination of work-study time hours and volunteer hours — during the school year to the program. For each Corps Member, the hours include training and an average of eight hours in the classroom each week, with four of those hours working individually with children to build skills crucial to school success.

Dr. Mary Ellen Atwood, Jumpstart site manager, says The University, the Corps members, the children and the program partners have benefited from the Jumpstart program.

“Everyone involved with the program is excited about the progress the Jumpstart children have made during this year,” Atwood says. “The program has proved so rewarding that we will be doubling our program next year to 40 Corps Members.”

Representatives from the Head Start sites concur that the Jumpstart program is an added benefit to their early childhood programs.

“The participating children at Decker absolutely love it,” says Pat Butcher, child coordinator. “There is a lot of learning going on for both the children and The University of Akron students.”

“The children are more confident and they love their Jumpstart teachers and classrooms,” says Dr. Parivash Manoucheri, site manager at ASCA Five Points Head Start Child Development Center. “The Jumpstart staff members are definitely an asset to our program. They interact well with the children and are helpful around the center.”

“Children, families and staff truly benefit from the enthusiasm and dedication from the Jumpstart team,” adds Bill Alford, Head Start director. “Seeing young adults and children excited about learning together has been a rewarding experience for our Head Start program.”

For more information, contact the Jumpstart-Akron office at 330-972-7936.

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