Horizons at Atlanta Technical College helps to close the achievement gap among elementary students

ATLANTA - June 6, 2013 - PRLog -- On Monday, June 3, Atlanta Technical College launched a summer program designed to close the achievement gap among elementary students.  The Horizons at Atlanta Technical College program is a tuition free summer enrichment program offered on the Atlanta Technical College campus located at 1560 Metropolitan Parkway in southwest Atlanta.  From June 3 to July 12, fifteen students from metropolitan Atlanta will participate in this transformative program, gaining reading, math, and aquatic skills.  

The data demonstrates that, low-income children tend to lack access to quality instruction during the summer months and fall behind in reading and math skills, while middle- and high- income students keep pace or jump ahead. This contributes to an achievement gap between the groups, leaving some low-income kids as much as three years behind by fifth grade. Through the Horizons at Atlanta Technical College program, low-income children will have access to the same comprehensive educational tools in the summer as their counterparts. Participants will focus on academics, arts, sports, cultural enrichment and confidence-building activities. In addition, all Horizons students learn to swim, making enormous gains in self-confidence that spill over into the classroom.

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About Atlanta Technical College

Atlanta Technical College, a unit of the Technical College System of Georgia, is located in the city of Atlanta, is an accredited institution of higher education that provides affordable lifelong learning opportunity, associate degree, diplomas, technical certificates of credit, customized business and industry training, continuing education and other learning services using state-of-the-art technology in more than 100 fields. The integration of academics and applied career preparation to enhance student learning is essential in meeting the workforce demands and economic development needs of the people, businesses, and communities of Georgia.

About Horizons National

Horizons National is an innovative, award-winning summer learning program serving K-8 students from low-income public schools on independent school campuses across the nation. Horizons currently operates in 13 states including Georgia, serving more than 2,300 young people each summer, challenging them academically, socially and physically over nine summers. Horizons programs inspire young minds, build lasting learning communities, and transform lives. On average, Horizons students gain three months in reading and math skills each summer, develop a lasting love for learning, and learn to swim. For more information visit: www.horizonsnational.org or www.AtlantaTech.edu