Last month, students from Tufts University’s chapter of Jumpstart joined State Senator Patricia D. Jehlen in raising funds for early education in low-income communities by participating in Jumpstart’s Read for the Record at Somerville’s Open Center preschool. According to organizers, The international event set a new record for the world’s largest shared reading experience as more than one million children across the globe joined together to read the children’s classic The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle.
Tufts senior and Jumpstart Corps member Vanessa Salazar said the experience helped children experience the joy of reading. "Seeing the smiles on the children's faces served as a reminder of why I am here and was a motivation to continue working for our children," said Salazar, who’s volunteered at Open Center for three years. “Seeing children smile while learning is what Jumpstart is all about."
Senator Jehlen added that she was delighted to take part in the record breaking campaign. “Read for the Record and the every day work of Jumpstart helps narrow the education gap between income levels,” she said. "I love walking into Open Center to pick up one of my granddaughters and seeing the Jumpstart students giving kids there such a warm and wonderful relationship with adults and with reading.”
Housed by the Jonathan M. Tisch College of Citizenship and Public Service, Jumpstart at Tufts annually brings 50 student volunteers to work with preschoolers at the Community Action Agency of Somerville (CAAS), CEOC, the Elizabeth Peabody House, and Open Center. Through Jumpstart, these Tufts students work as partners with preschool children from low-income backgrounds on language, literacy, and social skills for one year. Many students remain active Jumpstart Corps Members throughout their years at Tufts and graduate as active citizens dedicated to advancing early childhood literacy.
Jumpstart’s Read for the Record is a celebration of reading and community service created to raise awareness about the importance that reading with young children has in developing crucial early language and literacy skills they need to succeed in school and in life.
