News release Public Information Office  SLU 10880   Hammond, LA 70402   phone: 985-549-2341   fax: 985-549-2061 publicinfo@selu.edu Spring 2004 news releases Public Information home News archive Contact: Christina Chapple Date: 9/8/04   SOUTHEASTERN JUMPSTART RECRUITING STUDENT CORPS MEMBERS, COMMUNITY READERS      HAMMOND – Southeastern Louisiana University’s Jumpstart program is recruiting 40 students to work with area three- to five-year-old children on pre-school readiness.      Jumpstart Director Vaunne Blossman-Hand said the national non-profit organization, which is now entering its fourth year at Southeastern, is also enlisting area residents for a new “community reader” program.       Funded through Louisiana Serve and AmeriCorps, Southeastern Jumpstart works with Southeastern and Hammond Head Start and Midway Elementary School in Natalbany to create an environment of life-long learning for children. Working one-on-one with young children twice a week from September to May, Jumpstart corps members can earn a $1,000 education award after performing 300 service hours. Corps members who quality for federal work study can also earn $6.50 an hour.      Blossman-Hand said since 2001, 85 Southeastern Jumpstart corps members have performed more than 33,000 service hours. Jumpstart also conducts a full-time summer program and a spring learning fair, “Jumpstart for a Day.”      Mindi Batson, a senior psychology major from Luling, is coordinating the community reader program. She hopes to recruit 40 volunteers from the community and campus for the October to May program.      “We’re looking for anyone interested in reading at our three sites,” she said. “Schedules are flexible. Volunteers can choose to read once a month or more often. They can also work with groups of children or read to a child one-on-one.”      Students and community members can obtain more information about participating in Jumpstart and about the community reader program by calling 985-549-5273 or emailing Blossman-Hand at vblossman-hand@selu.edu.