ABOUT US
» Our History
» Summer Slide
» Advisory Board
Launched in 2003Salisbury Horizons is an extraordinary and truly unique non-profit that has achieved huge things for children in our own community. The program aims to educate and inspire elementary-aged students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds and provides them with a wide array of academic, social and recreational opportunities.
Horizons teaches children from economically disadvantaged families to thrive in spite of challenging circumstances. Our holistic, hands-on approach to learning equips students with a strong motivation to learn and the skills necessary to realize their full potential. We have a diverse group of students. The program serves potentially high achieving, but at risk, public school students in a six-week private school summer program with follow-up reinforcement programs and special events during the school year.
In 2003 O.U.R. Community, Inc. formed a partnership with The Salisbury School, The Wicomico County Board of Education and Horizons National to bring the Horizons Program to Salisbury. We are one of only thirteen public/private sites that are part of this unique national program. The program began almost forty years ago in Connecticut at the New Canaan Country School. Twelve years ago it became a new national organization,
Horizons National® to replicate the model.
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Summer Slide
Are you familiar with
"Summer Slide?" Unlike the one at the pool…this slide is no fun. It is the dreaded backwards slide that low-income students experience during the summer in their reading and math skills, while middle class students jump ahead. The
"Summer Slide" has been documented as the leading cause of the achievement gap between the two groups that grows to three years by the fifth grade. The Horizons educational enrichment program for public school students from low-income families, held at The Salisbury School each summer, is the solution for closing that achievement gap.
"Summer Slide?" be gone! In the summer of 2010, Horizons students gained more than 3-4 months in reading skills and 2-3 months in math skills. We are one of 20 non-profit affiliates across the United States that is part of a national organization and national movement to help our students go to college and achieve great things.
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Advisory Board
The Horizons Advisory Board is comprised of a group of dedicated community members devoted to fulfilling the mission of the program. These talented individuals have given an enormous amount of effort to develop the high-quality program we are proud to offer to our students.
Chris Nunzio
Chair
Dr. Pierre Genvert
Vice Chair
Nan Bird
Secretary
Dr. Terrance Greenwood
Past Chair
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Laurie Twilley
Dr. Alex Azar
Chris Oliviero
Dara Hanna
Jim Thomas
Sherman Wood
Dr. Ron Forsythe
Becky Gordon
Julie Fisher
Julie Gardner
Andrea Taylor
Judy Dashiell
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Donelle Van Holten
Program Director
Dr. Harlan Eagle
Executive Director
Jenni Pastusak
Development Director
James Landi
Headmaster
The Salisbury School
Dr. John Fredericksen
Superintendent of
Wicomico County Public Schools
Edward Henry Jr.
Honorary Board Member
William Middleton
Honorary Board Member
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