The end of Jumpstart is approaching fast, as is the end of my freshman year. This year has been quite an experience, with a lot of ups and downs. My team and the team working with us hit quite a few rough patches, with many people leaving, including our team leaders. However, these bumps along the road have actually made us stronger. We bonded and became closer, which allowed us to set up a more unified front for the students. That’s why we’re doing Jumpstart, after all. The children are the most important part. Being able to see them improving throughout our time with them has been the most rewarding thing about Jumpstart. Sure, gaining skills as an educator has been good, and the grant is a nice bonus, but seeing how much the children grew and started to love learning is the best part. Overall, Jumpstart has been a great experience, and I’m glad I decided to do it. While it made my freshman year quite busy, it also made it quite fulfilling.

-Melissa Galvin