"My Jumpstart Story"
Coming to St. John’s University held two main significances for
my life: continuing my education and helping others through St.
John’s University’s Vincentian Mission. After being a teacher’s
assistant for a 4th grade class in Brooklyn and
completing my first semester at St. John’s, I realized that what I
was doing was great, but I wanted to do more. I wanted to impact a
greater spectrum of our youth; predominately children from the ages
of 3-5.
The first major impact I had on a child occurred with my younger
cousin, a preschooler at the time. I spent almost every other day
with him. One day, in particular, he really wanted to play on the
computer because I was doing my homework and he wanted to copy my
actions. I tried to explain that he could play with it as soon as I
completed my homework and he agreed that was reasonable. A little
while later, he sat next to me, started to reminisce to himself and
began to cry. I wrote it off as a tantrum at first, but then he
climbed onto my lap and looked me at me with his watery eyes and
expressed to me the troubles he was having at pre-school. He felt
like he had no friends and that no one appreciated him. He asked me
if he could change his name, and become someone else. At that
point, I realized he was crying REAL TEARS; emotions I didn’t think
a child of his age could possess. His tears brought me to tears,
just knowing that a child could feel so alone in such a big world.
I informed him that I was his friend and I will always be. I then
finished my homework, wiped both of our tears, and played
educational computer games for the rest of the night with him. I
visited him everyday now, and as time went on, he explained to me
that everybody loves him now. He said “they think it’s so cool I
have a best friend who is 17 years old.” This really put a smile on
my face because as much as I love to teach, I learned something
from him that day and the way children of this age group work. He
is a real person, with real problems, and reached a decent
resolution. He then, became my inspiration to seek out a career in
Child Psychology. Children are a great passion of mine and
childhood is an important part of a person’s life. This is why I
made the decision to be a pediatrician. Helping children through
medicine is the start of a triumph that ends when they leave the
office, but helping a child through education is a deed with a
victory that lasts a lifetime.
I was lucky enough to be taught at home until Kindergarten, in
which I was 5 years old, and I felt justly prepared for school. My
mother was a stay at home accountant who helped me write in
cursive, solve long division, and spell over 500 words, before I
started school. This was an amazing experience, but, by the time I
started school, she was diagnosed, at the age of 28, with a brain
tumor. I didn’t know at that time what that actually meant for our
family. I just knew, she wasn’t at home as much because of her
countless doctors’ appointments. This burden prevented her from
teaching my younger sister the same things she taught me. I then
took it upon myself to relay all the knowledge I knew, from foreign
languages to advanced math, to teach my sister the necessary
information she needed to succeed. This was a great feeling to know
that I played a role in my sister’s future, through her education.
This is why I chose to be a corps member of Jumpstart. I wanted to
make a difference in one child’s life whether it is through reading
or support. I must say, growing up wasn’t easy, but I knew how to
make the best out of. I know what it’s like to come from a low
income home and the struggle that comes along with it. Between the
ages of 10-15, I was a homeless child in a family of six. Luckily
my parents and siblings stuck together despite the changing of
dynamics. My siblings couldn’t handle not knowing where our next
meal was coming from or where would put our head at night. A major
part of this experience was also trying to hide this terrible
occurrence from our friends. No child wants to be judged by their
peers, but for me, I couldn’t let any of it get me down. All I
could focus on was school and how I can succeed, will succeed, and
get my family through this all. Graduating number one in my class
and gaining acceptance into Ivy League Universities, I made it
through successfully, thanks to my education. I chose St. John’s
because of its duty of community responsibility. I knew my
first priority was to come to college, get a job, and make money to
send back home. I always wanted to be a leader, one to stand up for
what’s right, and make a difference, and so I did. This is why I
chose to become a Team Leader. Starting off in Jumpstart as a corps
member was very pleasing, however, I felt like I could do more. I
related to most of those children on so many levels. I did not just
connect with students from underprivileged homes, but with all
students regardless of their socio-economic status. Sometimes,
poverty isn’t just monetary.
Education is the wealthiest part of life, and I feel so blessed
to be rich in knowledge that I get to share with it today’s youth.
Jumpstart opened my heart and mind to a whole new world. Years ago,
I thought that I would grow old, with the sole purpose to help
those in need. Jumpstart recognizes it all. Low income towns don’t
refuse students from a more well off family because we know, each
family has its own issues. We’re here as a team, and myself now as
the leader, will help these children through the power of
knowledge. I am so gracious and humbled for the opportunity to work
with AmeriCorps in the education field because the impact that this
will have on families and our society is a great one. Just to be a
part of a child’s success is the greatest gift a man with my
history can ask for. Thank you for allowing me to share my story,
and I could only hope that children all across America will finally
close that gap. Thank you Jumpstart for jump starting the success
of children everywhere.
-Sean Campell