Program
Horizons National is a network of partnerships between inner-city public schools and independent schools around the country. Horizons Affiliates offer summer programs and school-year activities that are designed to increase academic achievement and personal confidence for a broad cross-section of low-income children, starting in Kindergarten and continuing through 8th grade. Horizons graduates are offered supplemental academic and mentoring programs during high school, which are designed to support and encourage college matriculation.
The Summer Program
The summer program is the focal point of Horizons, and all other services that are initiated, such as school year programming, are extensions of it. The summer program is the critical point of entry from which students and their families begin their journey with Horizons. Most students join the Horizons community after completing their Kindergarten or First Grade year in school.
Though each Affiliate is encouraged to be reflective of its own community, there are certain characteristics that all Horizons summer programs have in common, including:
- A program not less than six weeks in duration
- Program length of at least six hours per day
- Daily emphasis on reading and math
- Professional, paid faculty
- A nurturing, creative, and experiential approach to teaching
- A student/faculty ratio of at least 5 to 1
- A racially, culturally and academically diverse, gender-balanced student body
- Strong individual relationships between faculty, staff, students, and parents
- Daily recreational and instructional swimming for each student
- Weekly trips of academic or cultural significance
- Parent involvement
- Student charges not to exceed $50 per student
- An effort to maintain connections over the winter
Year-Round Programming
In order to promote retention and maximize the effectiveness of the summer program, connections with students and their families are maintained through Saturday programs, special field trips, events, parenting workshops, and fundraising activities. As a program matures, Horizons connections are also maintained throughout the high school years in the form of tutoring, mentoring, academic coaching, and special events.
Student Qualifications for Acceptance to the Program
One of Horizons’ goals is to serve a broad range of academic abilities, therefore approximately one-third of Horizons students perform at or above grade level, and two-thirds below during the school year. Initially, students are recommended by their public school teachers, guidance counselors and social workers and are considered for acceptance based primarily on the following:
- Economic need
- Potential to achieve beyond current academic performance
- Commitment of an adult in the child’s life to ensuring consistent attendance in the program
- Minimal disciplinary incidents
- Priority for siblings of current or former Horizons students
Retention
It is well documented that summer interventions like Horizons are most effective when the student is engaged over multiple consecutive years. Therefore, once a student has attended the program, every effort is made to retain him / her year after year regardless of change in status (address change, academic performance, family income, etc.). In addition, graduates of the program are encouraged to return and are given preference for paid Horizons positions. |
