Ideas from Horizons National
#HorizonsAtHome2020 was a unique, unforgettable summer! Click here to view a short video of highlights from across the Horizons Network.
During this one-of-a-kind summer of physical distancing, Horizons siblings learned alongside each other in their virtual classrooms! Here, a Horizons at University School of Nashville student reads to her younger brother.
Today, our Black Educator Series features Fannie C. Williams and Dr. Ambrose Caliver.
Fannie C. Williams was a teacher, principal, and pioneer in the field of Black education in the South. Williams was born in Biloxi, Mississippi in 1882, where she began her career as a teacher in 1904. After receiving her Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Pedagogy degrees from what is now Eastern Michigan University, Williams moved to New Orleans to become an elementary school principal, and began implementing new services to help students succeed.
Continuing our Black Educator Blog Series, where every Friday we'll be sharing stories of Black educators who have worked to advance racial and educational equity, today we are highlighting Dr. Nathan Hare and Dr. Ramona Edelin.
Dr. Nathan Hare is a sociologist, activist, and psychologist who is often called "the father of Black studies." Dr. Hare was born in Slick, Oklahoma in 1933, and grew up experiencing segregation and tense race relations. He planned on becoming a professional boxer until a high school teacher suggested Hare attend college. Dr. Hare received his A.B. degree in sociology from Langston University in 1954, and eventually went on to earn a PhD in both sociology and clinical psychology.
When schools began to close in response to the COVID-19 crisis this spring, it was difficult to predict what the future would hold for Horizons. How long would school doors be closed? What would the remainder of the school year look like for Horizons students and families? How much learning loss were Horizons students experiencing? What basic needs were going unmet?
Horizons programs across the country connected with their families right away and many made quick adjustments to provide meals, help with remote learning technology, and virtual tutoring sessions to help students with schoolwork. As it became clear that Horizons' six-week, in-person summer programming would have to be very different in 2020, our Network leaders came together to consider the best ways to engage students remotely while still maintaining the strong community that makes Horizons so special.
Continuing our Black Educator Blog Series, where every Friday we'll be sharing stories of Black educators who have worked to advance racial and educational equity, today we are highlighting Mary Jane Patterson and Dr. Cornel West.
Mary Jane Patterson was the first Black woman to earn a Bachelor's degree in the United States. She was born into enslavement in 1840 in North Carolina, but once her father gained freedom in 1852, the family moved to Oberlin, Ohio. Mary Jane completed a year of preparatory coursework at Oberlin College, and then enrolled into a four-year program in Classical Studies culminating in a Bachelor of Arts degree.