Ideas from Horizons National
Happy Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month! This month celebrates over 70 countries across the Asian continent, including East, Southeast, and South Asia and the Pacific Islanders of Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia. Join us in honoring the unique journeys, cultures, and life experiences of AAPI individuals with a new series: AAPI Voices in Education!
One of the most important roles of Horizons National is to expand our program Network. Each year, we build partnerships in new communities to welcome more students and families to Horizons, helping support each program's launch and sustainability as they grow. Now, we have an ambitious goal: to expand the Horizons Network to 100 sites by 2025, building the capacity to support nearly 12,000 students nationwide.
A tagline is one of many important brand elements that tells people what an organization does in just a few words. Often, taglines are created at the organization’s Board of Directors or staff leadership level, leading to well-intentioned results that may not truly represent the people the organization exists to support. When it came time to update our tagline at Horizons National, we wanted to flip this process on its head, and ensure that the tagline we chose felt truly authentic to the students, families, and communities we partner with.
One of the most powerful things about the Horizons Network is the community of leaders who thrive by supporting each other. That is why one of the most important things we do at Horizons National is convening Network staff and Board members - through monthly calls, Communities of Practice, and at our Annual Conference & Meeting. This year's conference, held in Albuquerque, NM in partnership with Horizons Albuquerque, included opportunities for professional development (PD), networking, peer-to-peer learning, and celebrating the extraordinary leaders across the Horizons Network.
Each year, Horizons National honors educators with the Lyn McNaught Teacher Award, recognizing those who have excelled in Horizons classrooms by providing exemplary opportunities for young people. In 2023, these remarkable educators brought whole-child centered, culturally responsive teaching to their students. They share a love of learning that inspires joyful classrooms, support of fellow educators, and a dedication to students and families that spans year after year.