Jumpstart AmeriCorps members have the unique opportunity to inspire young children to learn, serve in a local community, collaborate with others in a team, and build professional skills. All Corps members receive high quality training to help them implement Jumpstart’s outcome-based program, promote children’s school success, and build family involvement.
Service Activities
Jumpstart AmeriCorps members complete an intensive commitment and make a substantial impact in the life of young children. During the school year, Corps members serve 300 hours, 8-12 hours per week by fulfilling the following responsibilities in two main settings:
Essential Functions
In the classroom
• Able to interact with children at their level in a classroom setting with high activity and noise levels and other varying environmental conditions. Interaction includes being able to move around the classroom to participate in various activities with the children.
• Able to participate fully in Jumpstart sessions – two sessions per week for two hours each session for a total of four hours a week. Session time includes a variety of activities such as Reading, Circle Time, and activity stations during Center Time, each lasting for intervals of approximately 5-45 minutes.
• Able to participate fully in 2-5 additional hours in classroom assistance time, which involves activities such as helping with snack time, assisting teachers with children’s activities, and engaging children in outdoor play. This participation involves working with preschool-age children and other adults in a preschool classroom.
• Able to see both print and illustrations in order to read children’s books.
• Able to demonstrate effective reading skills in English in order to implement the Jumpstart program. Includes reading children’s books, song charts, and materials in the classroom.
• Able to demonstrate effective writing skills in English in order to implement the Jumpstart program. Includes writing children’s names and demonstrating how to write words and letters for children.
Outside the classroom
• Able to participate fully in 30+ hours of pre-service and 10+ hours of on-going in-service trainings, broken down in 2-8 hour increments. Exact increments will vary. Trainings are delivered in a variety of formats (such as lectures, PowerPoint presentations, small group discussions, and role plays), with other Corps members in a training room.
• Able to participate fully in 1+ hour team planning meetings and session preparation 2 times per week, which includes planning, reflection, and/or training, for a total of 2 hours per week, working with other Corps members in a small group to reflect on and plan for weekly sessions.
• Able to complete 1-2 hours weekly of individual planning and preparation for Jumpstart sessions. This includes preparing children’s books, writing reflection papers on Jumpstart service, and gathering materials for session activities.
• Able to demonstrate effective reading skills in English in order to participate in the Jumpstart program. Includes reading session plans and training manuals.
• Able to demonstrate effective writing skills in English in order to participate in the Jumpstart program. Includes writing reflections and written responses to questions in training.
Overall
• Able to verbally communicate with peers, Jumpstart staff, children, children’s families and classroom teachers.
• Able to arrange his/ her own transportation to service site in a timely and reliable fashion.
Marginal Functions
• Able to attend periodic service days and events outside of regularly scheduled service, occasionally held on weekends.
Community Need Addressed
Kindergarten Readiness Gap
Position Outcomes
Increase children's language, literacy, and social emotional skills
Benefits
College Credit, Education award upon successful completion of service, Living allowance, Student loan forbearance
All Jumpstart AmeriCorps Members will receive an education award upon successful completion of service and may be eligible for student loan forbearance. Additionally, Jumpstart AmeriCorps members may receive a living allowance and/or course credit for their service or may earn any work-study funds awarded to them by their college/university for their service with Jumpstart.
Education Benefits
College Degree
Skills you will gain
Developmentally appropriate practice, classroom management, team work, communication, problem solving, leadership, time management
Competencies You Will Develop
Communication
Demonstrate sensitivity and empathy, Listen to and consider others' viewpoints, Maintain open lines of communication with others, Turn taking
Creativity & Problem Solving
Able to identify and define the problem, Capable of generating possible solutions, Communicate the problem to appropriate personnel, Improvise, Provide relevant expertise, Select and implement well-considered solution
Teamwork
Derive consensus, Develop constructive working relationships and maintain them over time, Establish a high degree of trust and credibility with others, Interact professionally and respectfully with supervisors and co-workers, Stay positive and outcome oriented, Use appropriate strategies and solutions for dealing with conflicts and differences to maintain a smooth workflow
Decisions
Accepts responsibility, Anticipate the consequences of decisions, Identify and prioritize the key issues involved to facilitate the decision making process, Involve people appropriately in decisions that may impact them, Quickly respond with a back-up plan if a decision goes amiss
Planning
Able to prioritize various competing tasks, Create plan of action, schedule tasks so that work is completed on time, Set goals
Service
Be pleasant, courteous, professional and respectful when dealing with internal and external customers or clients, Honor the privilege of being able to work with and for those being served, Provide personalized, prompt, and efficient service to meet the requirements, requests and needs of customers, Recognize the importance of maintaining privacy and confidentiality of those being served, Understand and anticipate the needs of others, Understand the importance of one's role in the functioning of the organization, Understand the significance of maintaining a healthful and safe environment