“Volunteering with second graders in the Horizons program has been one of the best experiences of my life.“ — Garrett R., Saint David’s Class of ’23.
“Horizons is a community where you are encouraged to be curious, where everyone can develop their confidence.” — Mohammad O., Horizons Class of ’21
Garrett, a rising senior at Westminster School, and Mohammad, who is pursuing a Doctor of Pharmacy degree at Arnold and Marie Schwartz College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, recently addressed attendees at the 15th anniversary spring celebration of Horizons at Saint David’s. The celebration honored our Founders Circle of 25 families, individuals, and foundations whose generosity and commitment have been instrumental to the launch and continued success of this program.
Fifteen years ago, during our 60th anniversary, we had asked ourselves what Saint David’s School could do institutionally to serve the greater good beyond our internal community. This was the impetus for launching Horizons at Saint David’s - a comprehensive tuition-free academic and enrichment program serving elementary school age boys from under-resourced communities in our surrounding neighborhoods.
The program has grown from 17 rising first graders in 2012 to more than 130 rising first- through ninth-grade boys today. All experience an in-depth six-week summer program, with additional touch points throughout the year. The program’s primary goal is to prevent summer learning loss - a persistent factor in the academic achievement gap between under-resourced children and their more advantaged peers - and we've had great success. In fact, this past year saw our Horizons' boys achieving 13.6 weeks’ growth in reading and 9.2 weeks’ growth in math over the six weeks in summer.
In alignment with the mission and values of Saint David's, we also go beyond the academic goals and address the whole child, providing an integrated and balanced academic, art, athletic, and cultural program that seeks to help boys discover their passions and build their confidence. The boys return year after year, and are active as alumni of the program as well, developing relationships that support and guide them throughout their educational journey. Members of our first graduating class of 2020 are now thriving in college.
As Executive Director Lindsay Zaremba observed, “Horizons at Saint David’s is about experiences that build confidence. When you invest in young people, they rise. Together, we are not just changing summers, we are changing lives.”
And, as is always the case in a relational environment, volunteers and students are constantly learning from each other. Garrett said it best: “I loved the smiling faces I saw each day. It always surprised me how much I would learn from those younger than myself…This program in its 15 years has changed so many lives, including mine.”
