Summer Program
The aim of Horizons is to mitigate disparities for under-resourced youth. Our summer program includes high-quality core academics with instruction in STEAM, the arts, health and fitness, cultural enrichment, and engagement in community service. We provide confidence-building challenges, leadership training, social-emotional development, and a focus on the mind-body relationship. We provide nutritious meals and snacks which are critical to physical well-being and academic development of students over the summer who are not in school to receive meals.
Summer Program Activities Include:
- Academic enrichment in math and language arts, including a reading specialist
- Daily swim instruction
- Art instruction for all students and music classes
- Extensive health & wellness programming for each grade, including sports, yoga, lessons in health, nutrition, body image, and self-care
- Social-emotional support, access to counselors, and classes with topics including practicing kindness and empathy, conflict resolution, and anger management
- Celebrations to mark academic milestones, including continuations and graduations
- Field Trip Fridays for all students include ice skating, the zoo, hikes, and bowling
Why Summer Learning Loss Matters
Inequitable access to high-quality academic and enrichment opportunities in the summer substantially contributes to the opportunity gap for low-income children.
National research has found an alarming disparity between school age low-income youth and their more affluent peers when it comes to summer learning. Children from low-income families are more likely to experience cumulative “summer learning loss”— falling behind on reading and mathematics skills over summer break - as a result of limited access to high-quality summer programs, while children from higher income families make gains.
One study from John Hopkins University suggests that half of the academic achievement gap between socioeconomic groups in 9th grade can be attributed to summer learning loss that occurs in elementary school.
