Horizons at Harley
An Academic and Enrichment Program Serving Rochester City School District Students
An Academic and Enrichment Program Serving Students from the City of Rochester
Believing in the potential of all children, The Harley School has led the way in summer learning for students from Rochester City School District families for 25 years.
Founded in 1995, Horizons at Harley makes a nine-year commitment to 140 K-8 students from the city of Rochester and provides year-round support through its Saturday academy. Horizons students spend six weeks each summer on Harley’s campus engaged in a full-day program that blends high-quality academics with cultural enrichment and typically make two to three-month gains in math and reading. The program is proven to close the opportunity gap through long-term, deep engagement with students and families. More than 95% of Horizons 8th grade graduates have gone on to complete high school and more than 70% have gone on to higher education.
“The commitment to Horizons being at Harley is an expression of who we aspire to be as a community.”
Horizons transforms the way students see themselves and their future.
Horizons brings civic engagement to life by providing the opportunity for Harley students build meaningful relationships with Horizons students despite the structural inequalities that exist in Rochester. Each year, as many as 50 Harley Upper School students volunteer with the program, in the classroom and in the pool where every Horizons student learns to swim.
Horizons at Harley
Engaged Mentors: Harley students go beyond tutoring, they are mentors for young students in the Horizons program.
Horizons at Harley was one of the first affiliates Horizons National, a network of over 60 programs across the United States committed to offering a high-quality learning experience outside of the traditional school year. Here in Rochester, Horizons at Harley has incubated summer learning programs at University of Rochester’s Warner School of Education, Monroe Community College, and SUNY Brockport, and helped found the Greater Rochester Summer Learning Association.
Today, more than 1,000 Rochester students are enrolled in high-quality summer enrichment based on the Horizons at Harley model.
Horizons at Harley operates under the 501(c)(3) designation of The Harley School, but relies on contributions from individuals, foundations, and corporations for operating support. The program has its own Executive Director and Advisory Board, which is responsible for raising the funds needed to sustain its operations.
©2023 The Harley School
Students may create independent studies with supervising teachers throughout their Upper School experience or, during Grade 12, they can design Capstone projects—intensive collaborations with Harley faculty and off-campus mentors—involving rigorous academic study and culminating in public presentations. 