Horizons of Kent and Queen Anne’s Received a MAERDAF Grant

Horizons of Kent and Queen Anne’s is honored to receive a MAERDAF grant from the Rural Maryland Council; a CARES grant from Kent County Economic Development; a COVID-19 grant from the United Way of Kent County; and a school year grant from Horizons National to help launch its first-ever school year program for students in grades 1 through 12. Traditionally, Horizons offers a 6-week summer program designed to prevent loss in learning during the summer.  After the COVID-19 pandemic began disrupting life in March, Horizons knew it would need to expand its programs to accommodate the changing needs of families who were experiencing the most demanding challenges caused by the pandemic. It launched a brand new school-year program in September focused on mathematics and STEM for students in grades 1 through 8.  Horizons also relaunched its high school program to include leadership training and career planning activities for students in grades 9 through 12.

The new school-year program gives families a variety of resources to choose from to best support their needs.  They can:

• attend monthly Zoom small group math/STEM lessons,
• receive individual support from their Horizons teacher during their weekly office hour,
• build STEM projects, with the help of teacher videos found on the Horizons website,
• utilize a math-learning app to practice skills in between lessons,
• and receive encouragement via family newsletters, special notes, and messages from the Horizons team.

These resources help to mitigate the COVID slide and demonstrate Horizons’ commitment to their students’ success.

The Horizons High School program focuses on college and career planning, leadership training, and confidence-building. The high school students involved in the program participate in bi-weekly Zoom meetings. Co-Program Leader, Kelley Moore, brings her expertise as a Queen Anne’s County High School Guidance Counselor to the program as she connects students to outside resources such as academic tutoring or counseling when needed. Moore shares, “Our goal is to be an additional support for our students and provide them with new and exciting opportunities.” The high school program is an excellent showcase of all Horizons does to support students through their entire educational experience.

As Horizons continues expanding its programming reach, the team is excited to find new ways to connect with parents and guardians, who are the most significant contributors to their children’s success. Amy Crowding, Horizons’ Executive Director, shares that “We feel privileged to be able to help our scholars stay focused on their dreams and brighter horizons just ahead.” Learn more about Horizons by visiting our website- https://horizonskentqueenannes.org/.