On April 30, 2026, we will gather to celebrate the remarkable achievements of our students, both in school and in life. This evening marks an important milestone for our program as we honor the promise first envisioned by our founders and celebrate the completion of our very first program cycle. With great pride, we will recognize the graduation of our inaugural class of 8th grade students as they prepare to take their next step into high school. It will be a night filled with joy, reflection, and hope, a moment when the bright futures our students are building will shine for all to see.
I often say that the Horizons model is truly unique in its ability to foster extraordinary academic growth and personal development. Over the course of 45 years working in out-of-school-time programs - much of it in Chicago’s inner-city neighborhoods - I have witnessed the profound consequences of limited educational opportunity. But I have also seen the transformative power of programs that expand access, nurture potential, and create pathways for young people to thrive. When possibility meets opportunity, remarkable things happen, and Horizons brings those moments to life every day.
What began with a small group of bright rising first graders has grown into a vibrant community of learners who return summer after summer, building skills, confidence, and a love of learning. Through small classes, dedicated teachers, and enriching experiences that extend beyond traditional academics, students discover their strengths and develop the resilience to pursue their goals.
This spring, as our first class of students prepares to graduate from eighth grade, we see the full promise of the Horizons model in action. These students have grown up in the program, gaining knowledge, friendships, and the belief that their futures are full of possibility.
Hearts for Horizons – An Evening of Illumination will celebrate that journey. It will be a moment to reflect on how far our students have come and to reaffirm our commitment to ensuring their light continues to shine brightly for years to come. Please join us.
I am filled with gratitude and pride as I celebrate Christy Buchanan, recipient of the Horizons National Lyn McNaught Award for Teaching Excellence. Congratulations, Ms. Buchanan!
As one of our founding teachers at Horizons at Carolina Day School eight summers ago, Christy helped shape not only our earliest classrooms, but the very culture of our program. From that inaugural summer forward, she has returned faithfully, whether teaching or volunteering, demonstrating a steadfast belief in the mission of Horizons and in the boundless potential of every child we serve.
For the past two summers, Christy has served as our Reading Specialist for rising first, second, and third graders. She designs literacy experiences that are rigorous and research based, yet infused with genuine joy. A masterful teacher of early reading, she seamlessly blends Orton Gillingham strategies with movement and play. I treasure the moments I witness her students racing across the grass to match letters and sounds or gathering close for one of her beautifully delivered read-alouds. In her hands, learning becomes both purposeful and magical.
Christy approaches her work with deep intentionality, always communicating a quiet but powerful message to her students. You matter. You are deserving. This summer, she celebrated her students’ reading growth with a tea party, certificates presented with ceremony, porcelain teacups filled with care, fresh flowers adorning each table. What might have been a simple milestone became, through her thoughtfulness, a moment of dignity and delight her students will never forget.
Her teaching broadens understanding beyond the page. After a unit on community helpers, she welcomed local police officers and firefighters to campus, guiding thoughtful conversations that replaced fear with trust and curiosity. Our students left not only informed, but empowered by a new sense of connection to their community.
Christy’s commitment to Horizons extends far beyond the summer months. She strengthens her colleagues, warmly embraces families, and in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, was among the few volunteers who navigated difficult roads to deliver essential supplies directly to families in need.
As many in our community already know, Christy intentionally creates special experiences for every student who walks through her classroom doors (and she is so funny!). She shares joy and dignity and a deep sense of belonging with each young child in our community who has the privilege of learning from her.
