Students at Ohio University-Zanesville balance class work and service learning through their dedication to the Jumpstart program.  The Jumpstart Ohio University-Zanesville teams led the Northeast Region in the implementation of Jumpstart’s quality standard awarding them the Spark Award.  The standards upon which award recipients are selected include adult-child interactions, environment and routine, team planning, family involvement, and site management. 
    Two teams were monitored and observed at Careytown Child Care Center by the National Jumpstart organization.  Interactions with children, positive engagement of activities,  joining the children in their experience of play to enhance learning, having active conversations, initiating reading  and writing and encouraging the children to learn at their own pace, and supporting children’s ideas and creativity where observations noted by the regional program director.  Other aspects of the Jumpstart Program such as building positive relationships with families and developing leadership skills in University students were also observed.
    Jumpstart Ohio University-Zanesville is in its second year and provides one-on-one mentoring to preschool children. The Jumpstart college students benefit because of the hands-on educational experience and the families and children benefit from the interaction with their mentors. “It is a win-win experience for the children, their families and our Ohio University-Zanesville students,” says Site Manager, Colleen Romito.
    Jumpstart is a nonprofit organization with the goal of assuring that all children enter school ready to learn. To learn how you, your business or service organization can support the Jumpstart Ohio University-Zanesville program contact Colleen Romito at 740.588.1555 or via email at romito@ohio.edu.