Jumpstart is a powerful thing

            Jumpstart is a powerful thing, not only for the children, but also for the core members and team leaders. It has to be one of the best jobs in the world. Who wouldn’t love the opportunity to go into a classroom and play and laugh with children twice a week. Sometimes it is hard to tell who is having more fun, the children or the Jumpstart core members. The memories made during Jumpstart are truly one of a kind.

            One of my fondest memories is when we came back from Winter Break. The children went crazy. They jumped up and down and screamed “JUMPSTART!” as loud as they could. They were beside themselves that we had finally come back to be with them. Each child was eager to tell us what they had done over break and their newest accomplishments.

            One day while playing in Dramatic Play, a child looked up at a core member and said, “I want to be a Jumpstart when I grow up.” Every core member stopped what they were doing and looked at him. We couldn’t believe it. He wanted to be us when he grew up. It was a truly touching moment that helped us grasp what a difference we were making to the children. Afterwards we asked the child why he wanted to be a Jumpstart. His answer was simply priceless. He said, “Your red shirts are really cool and I want one.” Although we were still touched, his answer had us in stitches. We never knew how “cool” our red t-shirts were. Nonetheless, it still meant the world to us that he would want to be like us in any way.

            Another great memory was in the Writing Station. We were drawing stories about pets after reading, “One Dark Night.” A child was at the station drawing an elaborate story. When we asked about his story he told us something that amazed us. This child tended to be one of the more wiggly children that we had. He was outgoing and was always the first to make statements about the books during Reading. However, in the book he was drawing he had a cat named “Dark Night,” a baby named “Baby Lousise,” a boy named “Peter” and another baby named “Noisy Nora.” We had though he hadn’t been absorbing the stories the whole year, but he knew every detail of the books. It just goes to show that everyone learns in a different way and he paid attention more than we thought.

            I have made many memories during Jumpstart. Each day there is a new story, a new bond forged, and a new moment to smile about. I truly cherish the time in the classroom with the students. They are all special in each and every way and I am thankful that I have gotten to spend the time with them that I have.

~Mary Elder
Team Leader
Team Hope