Success Stories

Horizons Makes a Difference

• 100% of Horizons students learn to swim each summer.
• 70% of Horizons students are Hispanic and 25% are African American. All Horizons students are eligible under Title I for reduced price or free lunches.
• Through Horizons Reading Initiative, students gain on average a dramatic 3 month increase in reading level in the 6-week program.
• Summer 2009 Horizons students read 9,129,855 words!
• Each year over 90% of students return to the program.

Testimonials

“Thanks to Horizons, my son always returns to school in September without having lost interest in studies or reading and he hasn’t lost what he learned the year before. Thank you very much Horizons!”
- Horizons Parent

“Horizons has given me the opportunity to share my love of teaching. It has shown me that I can lead a group of kids to learn new ways of thinking about how they learn… Horizons shows me that there is great power in learning as a team and even greater growth as we all keep coming back together year after year…”
- Horizons Teacher

“..I feel that being a HAT has made me feel like a role model to these kids…being able to read with them and seeing the improvement is very rewarding…I have grown as a person and learned that if you really believe in these kids and be supportive, they really can improve and grow…”
- Horizons Assistant Teacher (HAT)

“Horizons gave me an opportunity that others can’t get and instead of staying home and doing nothing Horizons let me have fun every summer. They taught me how to read better and swim...also the teachers and HATs have always been there for me.”
- Horizons sixth grader student

“…Math and journal exercises were great this year. I answered a lot of tough questions but it will help me in the fifth grade this year. In August, I passed the deep water test and I was so proud of myself!”
- Horizons student