Howard University’s Jumpstart program, a service opportunity that connected college students with preschoolers in underserved communities for decades, will officially shut down at the end of this semester.
In an email obtained by the Hilltop, Jumpstart’s Senior Site Coordinator announced to the volunteers the program’s termination.
“With our funding ending after this semester, both Howard University and the D.C. community are experiencing a tremendous loss. Jumpstart is ending all university partnerships to re-envision and reorganize how it delivers programming to pre-K children and families nationwide,” the email said.
Jumpstart, a national early education organization, trains college students to work in local preschools to promote literacy, language and social-emotional skills among young children.
The program has had a significant impact in Washington, D.C. According to Jumpstart’s national data, children who participate in the program make 1.5 times greater gains in language and literacy skills than their peers not in the program.
Locally, the program has annually supported over 1,000 preschoolers across the D.C. area according to NBC, helping to build stronger foundations before kindergarten.
At Howard, the program served as a gateway for students passionate about education, child development and community service. For years, Jumpstart gave Howard students hands-on experience working with preschool-aged children while strengthening ties with the Washington, D.C. community.
Its closure will impact students, local schools and program leaders. For many students, Jumpstart offered more than just work experience; it helped shape their future career paths.
Anaya-Amara Wilson, a sophomore elementary education major from Sacramento, California, heard about Jumpstart from a friend and decided to get involved.
“It showed me that I would be open to teaching preschool,” Wilson said, reflecting on how the program influenced her professional goals.
Wilson said the relationships she built with her team members and the children made her experience especially meaningful.
“I will miss the bonds I built with my teammates and seeing the children’s faces light up when we walked into the classroom,” she said.
Similarly, Emelia Eigner, a sophomore elementary education major from Seattle, Washington, discovered Jumpstart through her classes. After applying and joining the team, she found that the experience reaffirmed her passion for working in education.
“I love working with kids and fostering confidence in them,” Eigner said.
Beyond the personal connections, Eigner pointed out how critical Jumpstart’s impact was for the children they served.
“Jumpstart allows children to practice their literacy skills before they enter kindergarten, so the closure will unfortunately prevent many children from having this great learning opportunity,” she said.
Despite the program’s ending, Eigner emphasized that her passion for working with children will continue.
“I 100% plan to continue working in early childhood education and community service after Jumpstart’s closure because the work needs to be done regardless,” she said.
Copy edited by Aniyah Genama
