HBCU News – Horizons Atlanta at Clark Atlanta University: Transforming Summer Learning, One Scholar at a Time

Horizons Atlanta at Clark Atlanta University reflects a sustained commitment to expanding educational opportunity for young learners through intentional design, university partnership, and community engagement. Since its establishment in 2013 under the leadership of Rebecca Dashiell-Mitchell, Ed.D., the program has served as both a summer enrichment initiative and a model for practice-based educator preparation.

Founding Vision and Program Leadership

As the founding director, Dr. Dashiell-Mitchell drew upon her experience as a principal practitioner and assistant professor in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction to lead the program’s development. Former Professor Emeritus and Department of Curriculum and Instruction Chair James C. Young, Sr., Ed.D., described her responsibility as developing, implementing, and evaluating a bridge program that enriched children’s literacy skills while ensuring instructional quality, staffing, assessment, record keeping, and family engagement. Reflecting on that opportunity, Dr. Dashiell-Mitchell said, “It was my joy to innovatively merge my educational leadership preparation and knowledge of best teaching and learning practices to facilitate and craft innovative curricula and learning environments for 21st-century children.”

The program’s success has been supported by the collective leadership of Clark Atlanta University, including successive university presidents and School of Education deans who have championed Horizons as a signature community outreach initiative for metro Atlanta children.

Mission and Long-Term Learning Commitment

Horizons Atlanta at Clark Atlanta University aligns with the broader Horizons National model, which prioritizes long-term student development and expanded access to academic enrichment opportunities. Founded in 1964, Horizons National is a network of free, immersive academic and enrichment programs for K–8 students in communities with limited access to educational resources.

Designed to address summer learning loss while supporting the whole child, the program focuses on four core areas: strengthening academic skills, fostering a lifelong love of learning, providing cultural experiences that encourage social growth, and teaching children to swim as an essential life skill that builds confidence.

Through this long-term learning model, students are supported beyond a single summer experience. Academic instruction is intentionally paired with social-emotional development, hands-on exploration, and opportunities for students to build confidence, curiosity, and leadership skills over time.

Whole-Child Learning Through Exploration and Voice

Horizons Atlanta at Clark Atlanta University emphasizes a learning environment where academic rigor is paired with creativity, inquiry, and real-world application. Students engage in interdisciplinary study that connects global awareness, science, literacy, and the arts through project-based learning experiences.

As Dr. Dashiell-Mitchell described, “Our young scholars are critical thinkers and creative thinkers,” and the program intentionally creates opportunities for students to question, investigate, examine, and address real-world issues related to land quality, food choices, food disparities, cultural similarities, and historical contributions across continents.

Through project-based learning, students explore complex topics while developing curiosity, problem-solving skills, and confidence in their ability to contribute to meaningful conversations. Dr. Dashiell-Mitchell emphasized the importance of student agency, ensuring that young scholars have opportunities to make choices, share their perspectives, and actively participate in their learning experiences.

The program’s thematic experiences extend into cultural and global learning journeys where students explore social, geographical, and historical issues while strengthening their reading, English language arts, S.T.R.E.A.M., and S.T.E.M. skills. Through these experiences, students are encouraged to see themselves as thinkers, creators, and contributors who can engage with the world around them.

Scholar Voices and Transformational Impact

The impact of Horizons Atlanta at Clark Atlanta University is most clearly reflected in the voices of its students, whose experiences demonstrate academic growth, confidence, and long-term aspiration.

Andre, a former scholar, shared, “At the start of the school year, I go back to the classroom armed with the tools I need to not just succeed but thrive. Due to this program, I was able to maintain a 4.0 GPA throughout all academic years.” He further reflected on identity and growth, noting that the program emphasized “grit and perseverance” while also deepening his understanding of “the experience of growing up Black within the United States.”

Describing her experience, former scholar Jeanno said, “It created an open, healthy, thriving environment of learning and opportunity. They encouraged my intelligence and strengthened it by placing me in an environment that would challenge me.”

Jalen, also a former scholar, highlighted the experiential nature of learning, sharing, “One of my favorite parts of the Horizons Atlanta Clark Atlanta University program was the passport exercise and the hydroponics project.” He explained that these experiences helped him “place myself in others’ shoes and use sympathy to guide changes in my own actions,” while also shaping his career aspirations in software engineering.

These reflections align with the broader outcomes described by Dr. Dashiell-Mitchell, who noted that students “move forward five to six weeks of academic growth” and return to school with strengthened academic and personal confidence.

Legacy, Belonging, and Institutional Purpose

Horizons Atlanta at Clark Atlanta University is also defined by its cultural and institutional grounding within a historically Black university environment. This setting provides students with early exposure to academic excellence and a sense of belonging within higher education spaces.

Dr. Dashiell-Mitchell captured this spirit through a guiding affirmation embedded in the program’s culture: “Our work with young scholars is paramount for we are all facing the rising sun, till victory is won.” She also described a deeper belief guiding the work, stating, “Our children, our young she-roes and heroes, are society’s passport to the future.”

The program’s legacy is sustained through collaboration among university leadership, faculty, families, and community partners who collectively support its mission. As Dr. Dashiell-Mitchell reflected, “There is a legacy, a partnership legacy that has been sustained.”

Future Vision: Expanding Opportunity and Access

Looking ahead, Horizons Atlanta at Clark Atlanta University remains committed to expanding opportunities for students through strengthened partnerships, increased resources, and continued community support. Dr. Dashiell-Mitchell’s vision for the program centers on ensuring that young scholars have access to the people, experiences, and resources needed to thrive. She shared, “We envision a future where our young scholars are surrounded by the people and resources they need to build 21st-century skills, spark curiosity, and grow into engaged citizens.”

Achieving this vision will require continued investment through philanthropic partnerships, volunteer engagement, and community collaboration to expand access and enhance learning experiences for more students. Through its sustained presence at Clark Atlanta University, Horizons Atlanta continues to demonstrate the power of educational opportunity, affirmation, and meaningful learning experiences in preparing students to shape their own success and future leadership.