Celebrating 10 Years of Horizons at Saint David's

“I am speaking today because I want to tell you what Horizons means to me. I remember the memorable times of Horizons like the trips to the Guggenheim, Seeing Spiderman Far From Home, the lunch… These experiences shaped me into the person and student I am today. Joining a community and learning how to give a firm handshake gave me room to build my confidence in talking with others, as you can see. Besides that, Horizons helped me academically. Horizons formed me into a successful high schooler. This year I rowed on the crew team, got a lead in the theater program and continue to perform well academically. 

“I’m still in touch with friends I made at Horizons, and some are even at Fordham with me. I use the lessons I learned here every day. And will continue to through high school and beyond. The joyful memories and experiences I’ve had at Horizons are priceless and are better than anything I could’ve possibly imagined."--Noah R., Horizons at Saint David's Alumnus.  

Noah, who now attends Fordham Prep, made these comments during our 10th anniversary celebration of Horizons at Saint David’s in May. Horizons at Saint David's began in the summer of 2012 with 17 rising first graders, as part of Saint David's School's 60th anniversary initiative to give back to society in a meaningful mission-focused way by providing educational opportunities for elementary school children; in this case, boys from partner schools in East Harlem. This past summer, 120 boys in rising Grades One through Nine were back on campus for the six-week program, and also had the opportunity to participate in six-week fall and spring sessions.   

As so often is the case, difficult times can present opportunities for growth. In March 2020, when all schools went virtual, Director of Horizons at Saint David’s Hope Lippens, along with Program Director Lindsay Zaremba provided the Horizons boys with activities that they could complete at home, and often checked in with the families to make sure that they were okay and to offer their support. For the summer of 2020, they pivoted without hesitation and planned and coordinated a virtual summer program that included not only reading and math, but daily exercise classes led by our coaches, art and music classes, and perhaps most importantly, social-emotional learning classes. 100 percent of the boys who participated in the program reported feeling prepared for the upcoming school year, more physically active, and feeling more connected to caring adults.  

The experience also led to innovation. As Ms. Lippens notes, "The spring and summer of 2020 taught the Horizons at Saint David's educators more than perhaps we taught the boys. We were inspired to pilot year-round programming, which is now a permanent feature of our program; to add both literacy and math specialists to our team so we could better provide personalized learning experiences; and to hire a social worker so we can better provide support and resources to boys and their families." Last summer, the boys and teachers were back on campus, and the program was extraordinarily successful. 

Ultimately, the success of this program relies upon the efforts of so many: founding director Julie Sykes, the program directors, the advisory board members, all of the faculty and staff, the Horizons students and their families, and of course, the generous families who make delivery of the program possible. During the anniversary celebration we honored two families, the Lapeyres and the Keegans for the continuity and commitment they have demonstrated to Horizons at Saint David’s since its inception. We are grateful to them and to all who have worked, volunteered or provided financial support for the program. Our Saint David's community, always generous and caring, has extended their generosity to the larger community around our school.