Horizons Student Opportunities And Results For New Mexico Inc-DBA Horizons Albuquerque

Horizons Albuquerque advances equitable learning opportunities for all students. We partner with families, communities, and schools to provide a summer academic and enrichment program, as well as wrap-around and supportive services for students and families throughout the year.

It is based in Albuquerque, NM, and received its nonprofit status in 2016. The Horizons Albuquerque program began in the summer of 2014 at Bosque School, welcoming 46 students entering grades 2, 3, and 4. Today, Horizons students complete grades 1-4 at Manzano Day School, grades 5-8 at Bosque School, and grades 9-12 at Sandia Prep. In the summer of 2025, Horizons Albuquerque served 166 students from kindergarten to 12th grade with a 90% attendance rate. In May 2025, our third class of Horizons Albuquerque students graduated from high school.

Horizons' scholars live in surrounding communities deeply impacted by educational inequities. Today, too few children have the chance to learn and grow in an environment that supports their goals. Horizons Albuquerque is filling the gaps in opportunities for students from under-resourced communities. By cultivating the joy of learning, the skills for success, and the inspiration to realize their dreams, Horizons Albuquerque helps steer change in students' trajectories, opening a pathway to successful adulthood.

Students attend a tuition-free, intensive summer program on the campus of three independent schools in the Albuquerque area and receive additional support throughout the school year. In small classes led by professional teachers, students dive into a rich curriculum focused on literacy, STEAM, Social-Emotional Learning, and enrichment. Swimming and other confidence-boosting activities break down barriers to success and expose children to new opportunities.

Students begin their Horizons journey as early as the summer after kindergarten and return to the program each year through high school, building lasting relationships with their teachers and peers, and developing life skills essential for success.

Horizons Albuquerque's summer program aims to reduce summer learning loss, which is often experienced by students impacted by educational inequities. Horizons' evidence-based educational services engage students in authentic learning opportunities, providing students with a purpose for learning. Our summer program not only mitigates summer learning loss but also promotes further educational advances, ensuring students enter school in the fall with the skills and knowledge to succeed. Direct literacy and math instruction contribute to our students' continued academic growth.

Our year-round weekly one-on-one and small group tutoring, guitar lessons, and ongoing mental health support enhance students' summer gains, ensuring continued academic success. We monitor students' attendance and grades, and communicate regularly with our high school students, providing interventions as needed to ensure on-time graduation.

Year-round family engagement is a requirement of our program, as studies show that when families are stakeholders in students' education, student success improves. Horizons' family engagement activities bring families and students together as a community, where they participate in collaborative activities and visit various educational and cultural sites within our community.

Horizons' high school juniors and seniors participate in work-based learning in the community aligned with their selected field of interest. We partner with several businesses and community organizations. We also collaborate with the City of Albuquerque's Job Mentor Program to place our students in paid work-based learning experiences. Developing skill sets for post-secondary education and the workplace – including communication, cognitive flexibility, and critical thinking – helps our students achieve their long-term goals. By engaging students with curricula and programs that connect schoolwork with college and career success, we aim for our students to complete high school prepared for post-secondary education or a chosen career path.

We launched the Horizons After-School Power Up Academy in September 2025 to expand year-round services for students and families. The Academy, held at Explora's Science Center Teen XStudio, is open to all Horizons scholars every Thursday from 4:30 to 6:30 pm. Our after-school program offers a safe, structured environment for students in 1st through 12th grade to participate in educational, recreational, and enrichment activities outside regular school hours. School-year programming, including weekly tutoring, STEAM, guitar, environmental education, and mental health support, reinforces the academic progress students make during the summer, ensuring continued educational success. We will secure additional tutors to provide weekly support for all students and targeted assistance for our high school scholars, ensuring they pass their courses.

Horizons Albuquerque serves students from over 60 public/charter schools in Bernalillo and Sandoval Counties, including Community Schools, that focus on integrating academics, health and social services, and family engagement. We impacted more than 650 community members, including 166 students and their families, in the summer of 2025. All students qualify for the federally assisted meal program; 60% reside in single-parent families or with a non-biological parent; 32% live in Spanish-speaking households; and 94% identify as Hispanic/Latino. 75% of Horizons graduates are first-generation college attendees. Our program builds long-term relationships with families, providing students with equitable access to academic and enrichment support through high school.

Horizons' data shows measurable improvements in students' literacy and math academic performance, life skills preparation, high school graduation, and post-secondary attainment. Historically, students make gains of 6 to 10 weeks in literacy and math during the summer. Students' school-year attendance and overall attitudes toward school have also improved. Horizons' data show a 90% regular-student attendance rate, compared with 51% for students in APS. Regular attendance is defined as students who are present on more than 90% of the enrolled school days. With three graduating classes since our inception, 91% of our seniors graduate from high school compared to 76% of APS students and 77% of students statewide.

In 2024-2025, Horizons achieved a 91% retention rate among scholars who continued in our program. Forty-seven high school students returned, including 13 of the original 15 high school seniors who have been in our program since second grade.