KEXP Presents: Audioasis Community Partnership & Benefit Show 2/14

This Valentine's Day, Friday, February 14th, show your love for KEXP’s Community Partnerships Initiative by attending our benefit show for Jumpstart Seattle, featuring XVIII Eyes, Fox and the Law, and SEACATS.

Jumpstart Seattle is an early education organization working toward the day that every child in America enters kindergarten prepared to succeed. Jumpstart also recruits and trains college students from the University of Washington and Seattle University to serve preschool-aged children from Seattle’s low-income communities. Children from low-income communities enter kindergarten 60% behind their more affluent peers. When children start behind, they are more likely to stay behind, and this gap can only widen over time. Jumpstart’s curriculum aims to develop the language and literacy skills children need to be ready for success in kindergarten, setting them on a path to close the gap before it is too late.

Four things you can do right now to get involved with Jumpstart Seattle:

1. Volunteer with Jumpstart for additional one-time or on-going volunteer projects throughout the year. Examples of volunteer opportunities include cleaning a preschool, leading a booth at a literacy carnival, and reading to children. Contact Jumpstart’s Volunteer Coordinator for more details.
2. If you are a college student at the University of Washington or Seattle University, apply to become a Jumpstart Corps Member. To find out how to apply, UW Students contact Sarah Hamilton and Seattle University students please contact Aileah Slepski ,SU Site Manager.
3. Donate new or gently used books that can be distributed to the preschoolers Jumpstart serves. Email Sarah for details on how to donate.
4. Support efforts towards early education for all children in Seattle, including Seattle City Council's Resolution for Preschool for All.

“Jumpstart started in 2003 by placing 23 students from the University of Washington in five classrooms in Beacon Hill, serving about 90 children. Since then, nearly 160 students from UW and Seattle U are in 26 classrooms, serving nearly 400 children throughout Seattle. Jumpstart’s vision is to continue to grow, deepen its impact, and increase the number of children served. A big thank you to Sharlese Metcalf and the staff behind KEXP’s Community Partnership Program for helping to spread the word on what Jumpstart is all about and helping us advocate for the importance of early education for all children in Seattle." -- Sarah Hamilton, Senior Site Manager, Jumpstart Seattle

Doors at 9:00 PM, show at 10:00 PM at The Sunset (21+), and costs $8 at the door. You can also purchase advance tickets for $7 here.