ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Tuesday, March 4, 1997 TAG: 9703040040
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-3 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
COLUMN: Spotlight
DATELINE: RINER
SOURCE: LISA APPLEGATE
MEMO: ***CORRECTION***
Published correction ran on March 6, 1997.
Riner Elementary School was incorrectly named in two photo captions
about the Jumpstart program in Tuesday's New River Current.
Joshua Long had the attention span of, well, a 4-year-old. He could sit and listen to a story for a few pages, tops.
"It would go in one ear and out the other," said his mother, Tracy. "Now he wants to sit down and read - he asks me to read to him."
Now, after more than a month of Mondays enrolled in a program called Jumpstart, Joshua has played enough games, received enough books and built enough projects out of construction paper to last a lifetime.
That excitement over reading - and the parental involvement in literacy - is exactly what the organizers of Jumpstart want to see.
The program, which runs through March, has attracted 50 children in the Riner Elementary School attendance area and at least 120 parents, grandparents and other family members.
The program is limited to children who will be kindergartners next fall, or those who already are. Once a week, they make their own books or listen to a storyteller or dress up as their favorite career person. Parents learn about language development or tips such as how to entice young readers by using picture books first before moving up to story books.
It's similar to early intervention programs like the federally funded Head Start, only this one operates on its own. The PTA donated $2,000 and Riner Elementary kindergarten teachers, student teachers and parent volunteers run the show.
They even wrote to President Clinton, who returned a letter praising the program. He said he read the children's book "Mr. Popper's Penguins" to his daughter, Chelsea, when she was young, so now each child in the Jumpstart program has a copy, too.
The group uses incentives like "kid bucks" to encourage reading. Children can earn enough bucks to buy new books, pencils, even race car driver Jeff Gordon racing posters. They can earn these kid bucks by reading, doing projects or just bringing in a mother or father for the program.
Jack Reed Jr., was worth two kid bucks for his son, Jay.
"I reckon traditionally, fathers don't participate as often so that's why we're worth more," Reed said. "We've been really tight all his life so I wouldn't cheat him out of anything."
Reed and his wife, Tina, made their first visit with Jay a few weeks ago. He said the teachers emphasized things they already do, such as reading to their son everyday. Plus, they picked up different projects and new ways to encourage learning.
Long said the program helps the 4-year-olds - and their parents - get used to the idea of kindergarten, especially if families can't afford preschool programs.
"This will help all the [preschoolers] to not be so scared." Now, she said, her son is "going to know that reading is a very important thing and he'll be ready for it."
If you know of an innovative teacher, helpful school employee, creative PTA project or other happening that contributes to children and learning, please let us know. Call 381-1679; write to P.O. Box 540, Christiansburg, 24073; or send an e-mail message to lisaa@roanoke.com.
LENGTH: Medium: 70 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: Gene Dalton. Jack Reed Jr., Jay Reed, 5, and Jina Reedby CNBof Riner work togther to write a story during a Monday night
Jumpstart program at Auburn Elementary. color.