LaGuardia Community College Partners With Horizons NYC to Launch Summer Enrichment Program

LONG ISLAND CITY, NY (May 28, 2025) — Beginning June 30, LaGuardia Community College/CUNY will become the first institution in the City University of New York (CUNY) system and the first college in New York City to serve as a host site for Horizons NYC.

The Horizons program model utilizes social-emotional, experiential learning techniques and time-tested methods to offset summer learning losses and maintain grade-level or above expectations. Student participants engage in programs that include academics, the arts, swimming, field trips, preparation for continuing education, and career development. A professional team of teachers and other role models develop powerful long-term relationships that serve as an enduring community of support for students and their families. This year, the college will support 15 rising K and 15 rising 1st graders (30 total), most of whom are children of LaGuardia student parents.

Kenneth Adams, President of LaGuardia Community College says bringing Horizons NYC to LaGuardia for the children of college student parents offers significant benefits that support academic success, retention, and overall well-being.

“By alleviating the burden of finding affordable, reliable childcare during the summer months, programs like Horizons NYC allow student parents to focus on their coursework, internships, or summer classes without interruption,” President Adams said. Bringing Horizons NYC makes LaGuardia a more inclusive and equitable campus environment by recognizing and addressing the unique challenges faced by parenting students. We are grateful to this partnership with Horizons NYC for offering this support to help student parents stay on track toward graduation, but also promoting positive developmental opportunities for their children in a safe, enriching environment.”

“Horizons programs are all about serving families. Our new partnership with LaGuardia Community College takes that value to a new level. Nearly all of our students will be from families of LaGuardia students,” says Joe Chan, Horizons NYC Board Member and Horizons New Canaan Country School alumnus. “Working closely with LaGuardia, we will be able to leverage family learning opportunities throughout the summer. While their family members learn in LaGuardia’s classrooms, our students will foster a love of learning–in the classroom, in the pool, and through new experiences in Queens and New York City.”

Horizons NYC Board Chair Jane Stoddard Williams adds, “On behalf of the Horizons NYC Board of Directors, I congratulate and thank President Kenneth Adams and his outstanding team for their leadership and commitment. We are very excited about this new partnership and look forward to welcoming the Horizons students in just a few weeks.”

Macy Stockton, Executive Director of Horizons NYC, says “We are thrilled to welcome LaGuardia Community College into the Horizons family this summer. We look forward to supporting families and becoming a part of this wonderful community through our year after year connections with students and parents. This is just the beginning of our collaborative partnership, and we can’t wait to watch it grow!”

Dr. Alexis McLean, Vice President for Student Affairs says the partnership between Horizons NYC and LaGuardia will benefit many students in need of affordable childcare.

“We know that access to affordable childcare is often a barrier to degree completion for many of our students, so we are excited that Horizons at LaGuardia will provide a free summer program to their children,” Dr. McLean said. “What’s particularly special is that participants will receive academic enrichment as well as swimming, cooking and socioemotional learning classes. This holistic approach will decrease the ‘summer slide’ that typically impacts students from one school year to the next. The program is slated to run each summer, and our hope is to add a kindergarten class every year until we support grades K through 8.”

The core goals and objectives of the Horizons program are to: prevent summer learning loss; improve overall student school performance, from K-8; increase student swim skills, mitigating the youth drowning rate in minority communities; and improve social-emotional learning and build supportive communities.

Sonya Evariste, Director of the Early Childhood Learning Center, says she hopes this will partnership with Horizons NYC will help LaGuardia’s ECLC continue to expand its services to students.

“My hope is that the first year will increase summer enrollment allowing families to see their children cared for, guided and educated through this free enrichment partnership,” Evariste said. “My hope is that we will have the power to show the Community that we see them, we hear them, and we will make every effort to expand to the needs of our families in desperate need of free, or affordable childcare. My hope is that this partnership will address long-term family and community goals.”

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Horizons NYC, as a regional affiliate of Horizons National, Horizons NYC’s mission is to promote educational equity in the New York metropolitan area by implementing critical summer and out-of-school programs that serve systemically under-resourced communities. Horizons NYC focuses on a sustained commitment to its students to ensure they have the opportunities, skills, and confidence to fulfill their potential in both school, and life. Learn more at: info@horizonsnewyorkcity.org.

LaGuardia Community College (LAGCC), a Hispanic-Serving Institution, located in Long Island City, Queens offers more than 50 associate degrees and academic certificates, and more than 65 continuing education programs to prepare New Yorkers for transfer to senior colleges and rewarding jobs and careers. An institution of the City University of New York (CUNY), the College reflects the legacy of our namesake, Fiorello H. LaGuardia, the former NYC mayor beloved for his advocacy of the underserved. Since 1971, LaGuardia’s academic programs and support services have advanced the socioeconomic mobility of students from Queens, NYC and beyond.

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