Launched in 2002, KICKstart brings the museum’s mission and values to life in the community. Funded through a $3.5 million, five-year grant from the international computer software company CA, the public/private partnership has provided museum visits and outreach activities in Head Start Centers, schools and camps for students, teachers, administrators, parents and community members from four high need school districts on Long Island: Central Islip, Hempstead, Roosevelt and Wyandanch.
The goals of KICKStart are:
- to increase access to the museum for children in traditionally underserved
populations
- to increase the number of hands-on, inquiry-based and exploratory
activities for children in underserved communities.
- to increase
family and parent involvement in children’s learning
Designed to reach children “early and often” before the
critical fourth grade testing year, KICKstart offers children the opportunity
to experience an interactive learning environment. Through KICKstart,
more than 35,000 children have visited the museum on guided field trips.
In addition to museum visits for KICKStart participants, the program also
provides free family memberships to the museum, “Family Night” outreach
programs in the community, and “Community Nights” at LICM. These
components provide on-going access to the museum and its programs and help
create a culture of museum-going for these families. Additional community
support has been provided by JPMorganChase Foundation.
KICKstart
