Horizons at the Warner School of Education

Inspiring. Building. Transforming.

At the Warner School, we believe all children are filled with promise and potential and every young student can shine when given the opportunity. Our Horizons program helps make this happen.

How it works

Horizons began at Warner nearly 10 years ago as an enrichment program for Rochester City School District students, grades K-9. It is an affiliate of Horizons National, an award-winning summer learning program. For six weeks during the summer, 150 students participate in engaging academic programs on the University’s River Campus. They also come back to campus periodically throughout the year. As part of Horizons, students benefit from a year-round mentoring and tutoring program, which is offered in partnership with the Center for Community Engagement, a University of Rochester program.

Students can also participate in our Lego Robotics team and take advantage of a 9th grade skills program. For parents, we offer workshops and family events throughout the year. Regardless of their academic background, our Horizons students discover the joy of learning, gain skills for success, and get inspired to achieve their dreams. Spending time on campus helps children picture themselves as future college students and whatever else they want to be: a doctor, teacher, philosopher, engineer, or anything they wish.

Our Goals

Prevent summer decline in students’ performance
Improve students’ school year attendance
Enhance children’s social and interpersonal skills
Raise children’s and parents’ educational expectations and aspirations
Enrich curriculum to be meaningful and culturally relevant
Provide a safe summer experience
Increase the high school graduation rate of city students
Build self-esteem, resourcefulness, and self-advocacy
Instill healthy lifestyle choices

By the numbers

90 percent average daily attendance
2,600 minutes of reading instruction
1,800 minutes of math instruction
768 books independently read
4,500 lunches and snacks served (in partnership with Foodlink)

“Each of my three children—ages 14, 13, and 11—has been going to Horizons for years. Horizons has given them academic instruction, a safe place to spend their summers, important life skills, and a caring community. As a parent and someone who has been part of the teaching team for two years, I can’t say enough about what this program has given to my family. It has helped raise my children and it has meant everything to us.”

–BARTHELEMY KOUMASSOU ’20W (MS)

Join us now

Individual philanthropy plays a vital role—now more than ever. It sustains Warner’s place in the community and it benefits all those involved in Horizons. Your generosity—particularly in the next year and over the long-term—can make a significant difference. Please consider supporting Horizons in these ways:

Annual gifts of any size as well as unrestricted and current use funds offer flexible resources for immediate needs
Endowments establish permanent, self-sustaining sources of funding
Planned or estate gifts allow donors to integrate personal and family financial goals to achieve tax savings and complement retirement income

You can also join the George Eastman Circle, the University’s leadership annual giving society, and direct your support to Horizons.

For more information

Preston Faulkner
Senior Director, Warner Advancement
(585) 276-3636 | pfaulkner@warner.rochester.edu

Learn more about Horizons here.