Horizons at Carolina Day School (CDS) is a beacon of hope, championing educational equity and bridging the opportunity gap for Asheville’s youth. A dynamic six-week summer adventure bursting with literacy, STEM, arts, music and more, Horizons is not just about academics; it’s about building confidence, nurturing relationships and creating a support system that lasts a lifetime.

Horizons at CDS offers high-quality, tuition-free summer camps for children impacted by educational and social inequities. Horizons welcomed its national organization to Asheville for its annual conference in February. Students were eager to be a part of the conference, representing and highlighting our local program.

While Horizons at CDS is here to serve the Asheville community, it is just one of 71 programs across 20 states and growing. In 2023, Horizons programs across the nation served over 7,100 students, who gained an average of 8.8 weeks of academic progress in early literacy, reading and math. Students who tested below grade level at the beginning of the summer gained an average of 10.5 weeks’ growth. Horizons at CDS Executive Director Jenny Tracy commented, “We are proud to be an affiliate of Horizons National and an integral part of a unified mission to advance educational equity so that all children receive the support they need to thrive.”

Horizons at CDS co-founders and board co-chairs Swati Patel and Himanshu Karvir of Biltmore Park advocated for the conference to be held in Asheville this year and were thrilled to see young Horizons students engaging with adults in conference planning and programs. Swati, also on the board of Horizons National, said, “We are so grateful to our national organization for bringing the conference to Asheville and for the opportunity for our students to showcase their talents. Building self-esteem is at the core of out-of-schooltime programs, and it is wonderful to see our students succeeding.”

Horizons at CDS fifth-grade students Messiah and Diondrea were excited to represent the organization along with Horizons at CDS board member Elizabeth Garland, who moderated the segment. Messiah and Diondrea engaged in an intergenerational interview with Buncombe County Commissioner Al Whitesides and explored topics of Asheville history, disparity in educational opportunity, and current issues facing the city and county.

Horizons Spirit Dancers joined in the celebration. Students Ahna, Ralissa, Ayite, Ma’Raya, Summer June, Serenity and Naomi transformed the breakfast with electrifying dance moves and a cheer they learned at Horizons with parent coach Shanetta Earle. Parents of students who participated in the conference marveled at seeing their kids speak and perform in front of a crowd of hundreds.

Horizons at CDS continues to expand and will add a new kindergarten cohort in 2024, bringing our total served to more than 105 students. Horizons has also grown to include Super STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math) Saturdays during the school year.

Horizons is hosted on the campus of Carolina Day School, an Asheville pre-K–12 independent school. Carolina Day provides generous in-kind support through use of classrooms for program space, transportation for swimming and field trips, and administrative support. Horizons also partners with Carolina Day Upper School students for service-learning opportunities. 

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How to Support Horizons at CDS

Horizons is grateful for the generous support of a loving community, which is essential both for daily operations and for continued program expansion. Horizons Giving Days will begin May 1 and run through June 15. Financial contributions during this time can be made through the Horizons at CDS website, horizonsatcarolinaday.org. Questions about financial support and gifts of time and talent can be directed to Bill Hansen at bhansen@carolinaday.org.