Who We Are

Our Mission

We advance educational equity in the New York metropolitan area by supporting and expanding critical summer and out-of-school programs beginning as early as kindergarten for students whose families meet government poverty guidelines. We focus on a sustained commitment to our students to ensure that they have the opportunity, skills, and confidence to fulfill their potential in school and life.

Our Approach

In partnership with our host schools, we utilize social-emotional and experiential learning techniques and time-tested methods to offset summer learning losses and maintain grade-level or above expectations. Beginning with free six-week K – 8 summer enrichment programs, we help students find joy in learning, gain confidence, expand horizons, and develop resilience. Year after year our students return to engage in programs that include academics, the arts, swimming, field trips, and high school and college prep. A professional staff of teachers, counselors, and social workers develops powerful long-term relationships that serve as an enduring community of support for students and their families.

Our Story

Horizons New York City is an affiliate of Horizons National. The first Horizons program was launched in 1964 and its success in promoting educational equity led to Horizons going National in 1995. Today, with 72 affiliates in 19 states and D.C., it serves 6,000 students. Establishing regional affiliates has proven an effective strategy in coordinating and expanding programs in densely populated areas. With that in mind, Horizons New York City (HNYC) was created in 2020. In addition to the first Horizons program started in Brooklyn 15 years ago, HNYC provides support for Horizons programs at St. David’s School, Riverdale Country School, and Exceed Charter School. Total number of students in HNYC programs in the summer of 2022 was 450.

Our Students

All the students we admit are from families who meet government poverty guidelines. In recruiting, we emphasize the value of continued participation in the program and aim for a balance among entering students, with two-thirds performing below grade level and one-third performing at or above grade level. Based on pre- and post-testing evaluations, Horizons students typically gain 2 – 3 months in learning by the end of a summer, allowing them to avoid the traditional, crippling effects of cumulative summer learning losses.

Our Relationships with Local Horizons Sites

HNYC’s overarching 2023-2025 goal in this area is to streamline and clarify relationships and mutual responsibilities between Horizons NYC and its local sites, allowing for flexibility and differences among local sites. We support local program sites as they work to maintain viability and implement the essentials of a Horizons Program.

The following information and guidelines frame these relationships:

The purpose of HNYC is to support, partner with, and help oversee existing Horizons programs and to expand Horizons to new sites to serve more NYC students from families who meet government poverty guidelines.

HNYC is an affiliate of Horizons National that operates under its own 501(c) (3). Each Horizons program in NYC is also a non-profit entity and may operate under HNYC’s 501(c)(3) or under the 501(c)(3) of its host institution (most commonly an independent school, college, or university).

Currently HNYC has:

• Two Horizons sites*: Horizons Brooklyn and Horizons at Saint David’s School.

• Two Horizons pilot* sites: Exceed Charter School and Riverdale Country School.

• Several prospective sites engaged in pre-launch discussions with HNYC.

*Horizons defines a “site” or “program” as a Horizons that is up and running and has an affiliation agreement with Horizons National or a regional office like HNYC. A “pilot” is a start-up Horizons site that does not yet meet the criteria of a full Horizons program and/or does not have an affiliation agreement.