Horizons builds brighter futures for K-12 students from low-income families by creating year-round academic, artistic, and athletic opportunities, nurturing potential, cultivating a safe and supportive community, and inspiring individual dreams.

Program
Conceived as a program that would reach out and serve children from low-income communities, the Horizons mission remains essentially unchanged today. Over the years, the program has grown in numbers and complexity, but its focus on the excitement of learning remains its guiding principle. Horizons is designed to encourage students from a diverse low-income population to explore new worlds and to realize their full potential. 

Horizons now serves over 350 students in grades K through 12 from lower Fairfield County. Guided by a professional faculty in a nurturing environment, the program emphasizes academics, the arts, intramural sports, and social growth. In addition to offering its signature six-week Summer Program on the campus of NCCS, Horizons stays connected with children and their parents all year long. Enrichment lessons, individual tutoring, Saturday School, music lessons, cultural trips, and parent workshops continue throughout the year. For more information, please visit: www.horizonskids.org.

Rising ninth graders have the opportunity to participate in the Horizons High School Program, which is designed to support students and their families through the high school experience, expose students to new cultural, social, recreational, and community service opportunities, and help students and parents understand options after high school. Programs include academic coaching, tutoring, college tours, SAT preparation, college and financial aid workshops, and cultural trips. The program's faculty members teach in both public and private schools during the academic year. These professional educators are assisted by young people, many of them Horizons graduates, who provide classroom support and serve as excellent role models for Horizons students. Many of the summer teachers participate in Horizons’ year round activities as well, thereby providing the children with a much needed sense of continuity. 

History
In 1964, The City-Country Vacation Group was founded by George Stevens, the headmaster of New Canaan Country School, and a handful of passionate people with an exciting idea: to bring children from East Harlem to live for two weeks in the homes of children their own age in New Canaan; to create a day program that all of the children would attend together; to provide companionship and fun; and to open new worlds for both hosts and guests, adults and children alike. The key to the idea was sharing – the shared experiences of the day program and of family life, and the sharing of new ideas and friendships. A joint committee from both communities matched the two sets of children (20 from East Harlem and 20 from New Canaan) on the basis of age, gender and interests. Guests and hosts introduced themselves by mail in the weeks before the start of the program, which was held every morning on the campuses of New Canaan Country School and West School. In the afternoons, the youngsters adjourned to nearby pools made available by private owners. 

Horizons at New Canaan Country School
Horizons is linked to the Country School community in a variety of ways. There are, at present, 16 Horizons students who attend Country School. A number of the school's teachers and graduates work in the Horizons program during the summer. Established in 2001, the Horizons Friends Corps matches eighth grade Country School mentors with fourth grade Horizons buddies. Relationships are established between the buddies through phone calls, emails, letter writing, and special events. Many school parents generously share their time and talents with Horizons, serving on the Horizons Board, assisting with special events and fundraising, and spreading the word about Horizons in the greater community.