Grant will support innovation in Jumpstart’s proven early education program
WASHINGTON, D.C., December 17, 2012 – Jumpstart, a national early education organization, announced today that it has been selected as a recipient of a $40,000 grant award from The Boeing Company. The $40,000 grant will support Jumpstart’s Community Corps in Washington, D.C. This program trains older adults to serve young children ages 3-5 and places them in preschool classrooms in low-income neighborhoods. Children who start school behind are more likely to stay behind, and this gap only widens over time. Jumpstart intervenes early to prepare children for kindergarten, helping to close the gap before it is too late. Through Jumpstart’s proven curriculum, preschool children develop the language, literacy and social skills they need to be ready for school, setting them on a path for lifelong success.
“Boeing is committed to increasing educational opportunities for children to narrow the skills gap and lay the groundwork for a skilled workforce of the future,” said Tom Bartlett, community investor for Boeing’s Global Corporate Citizenship organization in the Washington, D.C. area. “This new partnership with Jumpstart is one example of how Boeing can improve the lives of children in communities where our employees live and work by contributing resources to help create a dedicated volunteer network of retirees who can help them with early learning fundamentals that will prepare them for the future.”
Through Community Corps, Jumpstart will be able to serve additional children in Wards 7 and 8 where the rate of childhood poverty is more than 40 percent. District of Columbia Public Schools Comprehensive Assessment System (CAS) scores show the deep disparity in educational outcomes for children who live east of the Anacostia River: in Wards 7 and 8, only 33 percent and 28 percent of children had passing scores on the CAS, compared to 84 percent of children in Ward 3.
“We are very excited to welcome Boeing as a partner,” said Jumpstart Executive Director for the D.C. Metro Region, Katey Comerford. “Boeing’s investment in Jumpstart demonstrates their commitment to DC’s children. We look forward to launching Community Corps and taking an important step to fulfilling our mission: to work toward the day every child in America enters school prepared to succeed.”
Adult volunteers through Jumpstart’s Community Corps program will begin serving in preschool classrooms in 2013.
About Jumpstart
Jumpstart is a national early education organization working toward the day every child in America enters school prepared to succeed. Jumpstart delivers a research-based and cost-effective program by training college students and community volunteers to work with preschool-age children in low-income neighborhoods. Through a proven curriculum, these children develop the language and literacy skills they need to be ready for school, setting them on a path for lifelong success. Jumpstart is also a proud member of the AmeriCorps national service network. For more information, please visit jstart.org.
Press Contact
Lindsay Grimes
Jumpstart
202-393-2272
lindsay.grimes@jstart.org
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