Jumpstart Grant for the Department of Child, Adolescent, and Family Studies (CAFS)

"Passion led us here." 

Congruent with the CSU mission, the Jumpstart program offers students in the Child, Adolescent, and Family Studies program at CSUB an opportunity to merge educational theories discussed in the classroom with real life teaching experience and practice.  Jumpstart is a National Early Education Organization that works towards improving learning for children in America. 

"Education Changes the World."

Jumpstart's goal is to help prepare every child to succeed, by recruiting caring adults to work with preschool-aged, low-income children and families on language, literacy, and social-emotional skills.  The Mexican American Opportunities Foundation provided access to their preschools in Bakersfield, Delano, and Arvin where our students served 10-12 hours a week showcasing their teaching abilities and skills by implementing core California ECE curriculum lessons. 

"Solving Inequalities - The Power of Education."

Meaningful learning must extend beyond the classroom into the communities we serve.  Engagement with children is critical to the call for social justice and exercising changes to education inequities.  Practical work experience is a driving workforce development demand.  Increased classroom practicum time was tremendously beneficial for application of learning.  Students complting 300 hours of service were eligible to earn Federal Work Study or receive a Segal AmeriCorps Educational Awarrd.