History

The first Horizons program was launched in 1964 in New Canaan, CT to serve children from low-income families in lower Fairfield County. Horizons National grew out of the original program’s desire to serve more children through replicating the model at other schools. The following timeline illustrates the evolution from a single program to a national affiliate network supported by the services of a central office.

1964 –   First Horizons program begun by New Canaan Country School in Connecticut

1981 –   First of several evaluations by faculty of Yale University, led by Dr. Edward Zigler, demonstrating that the                    model reduces summer learning loss

1995 –   Horizons National formed to replicate Horizons programs around the country
                Horizons programs started at The Harley School in Rochester, NY and Radcliffe Creek in Chestertown, MD                 (formerly hosted by the Kent School) 

1996 -    Horizons programs started at  Rumson Country Day School in New Jersey and St. Richard's Episcopal   School in Indianapolis 

1998 -    Horizons at Colorado Academy opens

1999 -    Horizons Hampton Roads (Virginia Beach) opens two sites (Norfolk Collegiate and Cape Henry)
                Horizons at Holy Innocents Episcopal School (Atlanta) opens

2000 -    Horizons programs began at Greens Farms Academy in Connecticut and at the Maret School in Washington,  D.C. 
               
2003 -  The Salisbury School in Maryland and Savannah Country Day School in Georgia open their doors to Horizons programs.

2008 –   Horizons at Brooklyn Friends School opens and  Horizons Hampton Roads opens its third campus, at Portsmouth Catholic School

2009 -   Horizons at Dedham Country Day School (Massachusetts) opens 
               Horizons Greater Washington incorporated, combining Maret with a new site at St. Patrick's School
               Horizons National's Literacy Initiative funded and implemented, using partnerships with national education   assessment companies, Renaissance Learning and Wireless Generation

                2010 -  Horizons at St. Philip's Academy (Newark, NJ) opens
                              Horizons National:

  • Received 2010 Excellence in Summer Learning Award from the National Summer Learning Association
  • Was awarded funding from The Wallace Foundation and included in the More Time for Learning Professional Learning Community as one of three premier program providers along with BELL and Higher Achievement
  • Was awarded funding from The Coca-Cola Foundation for national funding
  • Launched STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) pilot program resulting in increased math skills for participating students

                 2011 - Horizons at The Warner School/University of Rochester opens making it the first Horizons program on a                  college campus.