Despite a last-minute attempt to keep it going, the Jumpstart program at Minnesota State Mankato is no more.
Local Jumpstart officials got the word recently that their plea had been denied, so they’re trying now to piece together a scaled-down version of what used to be a program parents raved about.
“We believe it’s critical that we somehow continue this program,” said Marilyn Lott, MSU’s assistant director for community engagement. “Forty-nine percent of kids about to start kindergarten have been declared not ready. Once you start kindergarten, you never catch up, so almost half of our children will probably never have the chance to go to college.”
MSU’s Jumpstart program was part of a national movement aimed at helping pre-school children acquire the skills they need to succeed in kindergarten.
It works like this: College students are paired with pre-schoolers. They meet twice weekly for two hours at a time. That’s four hours of one-on-one contact between the child and college student.
The college students prepare for kids so that, during each meeting, the students know exactly what their assigned Jumpstart child needs to progress.
For the full Free Press story about Jumpstart, go to http://www.mankatofreepress.com/local/local_story_221003052.html
For more Free Press news go to http://www.mankatofreepress.com/
Email this article | Permanent link | Topstories news | Topstories news archives
Minnesota State
University, Mankato
Mankato, MN 56001
1-800-722-0544
© 2005-2013 Minnesota State University, Mankato. Minnesota State University, Mankato is a member of
Minnesota State Colleges & Universities system and an affirmative action/equal opportunity university.
