JCCGCI’s Horizons Academy program provides academic and motivational support to improve graduation rates for high-risk students from low-income families attending Coney Island’s Abraham Lincoln High School.

This program provides services in both Russian and English (and serves students representing a wide diversity of ethnic backgrounds) with the goal of keeping students in school and preparing them for life after graduation. Students have the opportunity get one-on-one counseling, homework tutoring, SAT preparation, financial literacy training, spring internships and paid summer employment. They learn valuable study habits and develop an excitement for education.

We work with professional guidance counselors to create individualized service strategies for each student, ensuring that his or her unique needs are fully addressed.

The Horizons Academy program achieves phenomenal results. Since 2013, students participating in Horizons Academy (who came to the program at risk for dropping out) have had an amazing 100 percent graduation rate, compared with a New York City graduation rate of 70 percent. Over 85 percent of the students not only graduate high school, but also go on to college the fall after graduation; 90 percent of those who start college remain in school the following semester.

We would like to thank our Horizons Academy program funders, NYS Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS), NYC Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD), ConEdison and the Pinkerton Foundation.