Jumpstart Kids Day, a free learning fair for children and families involved in pre school programs will be held from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday, April 16 at California State University, Fresno during Vintage Days 2004.
The Jumpstart Fresno program on campus was selected out of 850 applicants by Youth Service America to organize the event during National Youth Service Day on April 16-18, 2004.
During the day “learning stations” connected to children’s books will be set up for activities like making magnets and Storytime that will help children develop social and language skills necessary for later success in school, said Amy Lukianov, program co-ordinator for Jumpstart Fresno.
The event will also include a visit from a local magician, a clown and ‘Pancake Pig,’ a popular storybook character. Volunteers will make bug catchers, play dough, magic wands and puppets for the children and their families.
“Jumpstart Kids Day is a wonderful opportunity for the community to learn more about Jumpstart and to witness first hand the program in action,” Lukianov said. “By joining the Vintage Days this year, we will reach a much larger audience.”
Jumpstart Fresno, located at the Joyce M. Huggins Center on campus, pairs a preschool child with an adult in a classroom setting to prepare the child for success in school, encourage adults to be educators and strengthen a family’s involvement in the child’s educational development, Lukianov said.
Drew Wilhite team leader of the university’s Jumpstart program said, “I look forward to participating in Jumpstart Kids Day, as a part of the National Youth Service Day, informing the community about Jumpstart and the positive impact we have.”
The National Youth Service Day is a public awareness and education campaign that highlights the contributions that young people make to their communities throughout the year, Wilhite said.
Jumpstart Kids Day is being sponsored by Starbucks Coffee Company and Barnes and Nobles booksellers.
Jumpstart is a national organization that engages young people in service to ensure children enter school prepared to succeed.
For more information contact Niel Dion at (559) 278-8846 or e-mail at ndion@csufresno.edu.
Copy prepared by University Re/ations student intern Ravneet Padda.
