Please join Us this Horizons Giving Day as we prepare for our summer 2022 program!
In April, we had a very special donor appreciation event put together by Wally and Averee Heidenreich in the beautiful Solterra community gathering space. Drawn by the Horizons at CA mission of advancing educational equity and closing the opportunity gap for all Denver metro students, our major donors came together to celebrate the incredible strides achieved these past 24 years, learn about our summer and year-round program offerings, and hear about the long-term impact our program has had on our students. It is through the generosity of donors that Horizons at Colorado Academy is able to open multiple doors for our students.
In May, the entire Horizons network will come together to help raise funds for Horizons programs across the country. This fundraising drive, known as Horizons Giving Day, is happening on May 18, with advance giving taking place from May 1-17, 2022. Now is the time to support and invest in out-of-school time programs like Horizons! Youth in some communities have access to activities such as sports, music, tutoring, summer camps, and college and career exploration that will help them recover socially and academically. There is an urgent need to provide the same kinds of out-of-school time opportunities to every student in every community, especially where there is compounded learning loss as a result of the pandemic.
According to the Learning Policy Institute, “The traditional school day and calendar are not sufficient to offset the learning time that has been lost during the pandemic.” Horizons at CA has been successfully leveraging the months when students are out of school to stem summer learning loss for children in the Denver metro area for 24 years, and it is one of the most experienced, largest providers of out-of-school learning opportunities nationwide.
With students facing social, emotional, and mental health challenges, recovery will need to center on more than academics. Horizons programs address the whole child, providing diverse learning experiences in a supportive community that allow students to develop their cognitive, physical, social, creative, and emotional skills.
We know how important it is for kids to feel connected to a caring community, and that strong relationships make a huge difference. Horizons students come back each year to supportive adults and peers who know and love them, not only having a positive impact on their well-being, but encouraging them to contribute to the community.
How Horizons makes a life-changing difference
Horizons works—and our students are proof. Horizons students consistently gain an average of 6-12 weeks in reading and math skills over each summer session. They gain self-confidence and improve their social skills and behavior. They become leaders in their classrooms and communities.
In the past two years, the opportunity gap Horizons works to close has widened dramatically. As the effects of the pandemic continue to compound, students will likely face more challenges.
Supporting Horizons helps ensure our program can continue reaching the students who need it most. Now is a critical moment to help students recover, and a donation to Horizons will help ensure students have access to the high-quality academic and youth development programs they need to stay connected and continue learning. By donating to Horizons at Colorado Academy on Horizons Giving Day, you’re not only helping students recover from the pandemic—you are helping to build and sustain our community for years to come.