Jumpstart at GW, part of the national AmeriCorps program that trains and places students in teams to serve preschools in low-income neighborhoods for an academic year, hosted a booth supporting language and literacy for young children on Saturday at the Cherry Blossom Kite Festival on the National Mall. Jumpstart is a part of the Honey W. Nashman Center for Engagement and Public Service.
Festival goers with children could stop by to read, color and play with the more than 80 GW student volunteers. Jumpstart Senior Site Manager Rochelle Yancey said they gave away about 300 books to children ranging from Curious George to books written in different languages for non-English speaking families.
Jumpstart, which had a booth at the festival in 2017, 2018 and 2019 before the pandemic canceled the 2020 and 2021 festivals, also gave away frisbees and pinwheels this year. Yancey said it was important to have GW visible on such a busy day in D.C., especially because it promoted children’s literacy and equity in education.
“It’s really important to have GW out here so people, for one, know there’s a university right here in Foggy Bottom and also that there are several of these programs connected to the Nashman Center,” Yancey said. “We don’t just represent Jumpstart. We represent the Nashman Center and GW.”
Below are photos from the event:
