Horizons Hampton Roads

Horizons Hampton Roads is a not-for-profit academic, cultural, and recreational program designed to encourage a diverse group of students from under-served families to realize their full potential. Discrete goals to accomplish this mission: -support students in acquiring the skills, knowledge, character and aspiration to graduate high school and to be productive members of society.- prepare students for college and/or career readiness. -reverse the trend of summer learning decline by providing the highest quality academic experience possible resulting in improved academic performance and fuel a lifelong passion for learning. -expose students to a variety of recreational, cultural, and social experiences including teaching all children to swim. -encourage and educate parents on how to participate and support their children's education. Founded in 1999, strong public-private partnerships are the foundation of Horizons Hampton Roads (hhr). Using the facilities of chesapeake bay academy in Virginia beach, norfolk collegiate school in norfolk, and portsmouth catholic regional school in portsmouth, Horizons is able to offer its k-8 program for six weeks during the summer serving students in each of these city public school systems. Guided by a professional and nurturing faculty in small group settings, hhr emphasizes academics and also exposes children to a variety of enrichment experiences, as well as providing nutritious breakfast and lunch each day. Horizons Hampton Roads (hhr) provides an academic, cultural, and recreational program designed to encourage a diverse group of students from under-served families to realize their full potential Horizons aims for continuing student/family relationships for up to all nine years of the summer program, and over 75% of students typically return each summer. Guided by a professional and licensed faculty, children are encouraged to take responsibility for their own experience and hhr provides many of the social emotional learning tools needed to guide them in the direction of personal responsibility, career success and community leadership. Hhr emphasizes a time-tested combination of academics, art, music, cultural enrichment, and water safety. A 4:1 student/teacher ratio is maintained to optimize the project-based learning environment, supplemented by carefully orchestrated field trips and opportunities for service to others. Reading is a focus. Horizons tests skill levels for all students at the beginning of the summer. Reading specialists work with small groups and individual students to improve on weak areas. At the start of the summer program, all students are assessed using standardized testing as identified by Horizons national. Licensed teachers, reading specialists and school guidance counselors are then able to guide students to appropriate reading and math materials that match the students' levels while challenging them and strengthening their skills. Children who require more remedial assistance are assigned to a reading specialist.testing at program end typically shows 2-3 months improvement in reading and math skill levels, compounded year after year as students return to Horizons. The Horizons stem initiatives provide additional opportunities for learning in the areas of science, technology, engineering and math. -during the taxyear ending 9/30/2021, Horizons made major adjustments due to covid-19,providing summer programming to students at their homes through virtualacademic, enrichment and social emotional support. Each student was provided with a kit of individual grade-specific materials, including about 6 books, curriculum materials, stem and art kits, and school supplies, as well as foodbank meals and grocery store giftcards. During the taxyear ending 9/30/2022 Horizons was able to resume in-person programs.