The Horizons Enrichment Program at Nazareth College is committed to offering students with limited financial resources the opportunity to learn and grow in a positive, engaging, and caring environment that celebrates the whole child. Our aim is to empower students with enriching experiences that will lead to strengthening the skills and dispositions for life-long learning and inquiry, community involvement and responsibility, and personal confidence and respect.

Horizons was founded in 1964 at New Canaan Country School in New Canaan, CT to serve children from low income families. Horizons strives to provide an academic, cultural, and recreational program designed to encourage a diverse group of students to realize their full potential. Working in partnership with families, Horizons is committed to the development of the whole child through experiences that build problem-solving skills, foster awareness of community responsibility, instill respect for oneself and others, and encourage a life-long interest in learning.

Specific to the Nazareth program, three central themes are infused into the inquiry-based program: science in our community, arts in our community, and wellness. All Horizons students learn to swim, making enormous gains in self-confidence that extends into the classroom. Along with swim lessons, the children take multiple field trips, engage in community service, and participate in art, dance, and theatre workshops. At the end of the summer session, there is a celebration for the families to commemorate the program and their children’s accomplishments.

This summer, Horizons at Nazareth will serve 45 first through third grade students.  Horizons at Nazareth plans to add an additional grade level of 15 students each summer until a full 1st-9th grade program is established.

Horizons at Nazareth is sustained through grants and individual contributions.  Horizons at Nazareth provides transportation to and from campus, breakfast and lunch, and all supplies and materials for the children.  The Marie C. and Joesph C. Wilson Foundation, the Farash Foundation, and Horizons National have provided generous start-up grants.  Nazareth College provides in-kind support through the use of its classrooms, computer labs, campus grounds, and pool.  Individual contributions of time, talent and treasure additionally support our program.  Community members gave over 280 hours of volunteer support last summer.

Currently, Horizons at Nazareth seeks a wide range of support.  We can only sustain this high quality program through financial donations from individuals and organizations.  We seek any level of monetary contributions, as well as specific sponsorship of items like transportation, meals, one-child’s summer scholarship, field trips, art/music instruction, etc.   As this is a completely community sustained program, we are open to other ideas for support and involvement.