Horizons at Ethel Walker School
Princess Hyatt, Executive Director
Sue Budde introduced Princess Hyatt, our speaker. Princess is a Hartford native and loves being involved in the very community in which she was raised. She is an active member and volunteer in the Hartford community. She is so glad to be exercising her love for philanthropy, education, and women/girls' empowerment in her new role as the Executive Director at the Ethel Walker School in Simsbury. She is so glad to have reunited with the Horizons families, students, staff and partners this year for a "back in person" summer. Princess and her program are recipients of grants from the 100 Women Who Can, who spoke with us two weeks ago. She and Sue met each other at one of their meetings.
Princess started her talked with a "clap response" to ensure she had our attention just as she does with the girls in the Horizons program. Princess started her new role just days before the pandemic caused the program to move online.
This summer was the first "in person" experience. the 120 girls in the program all come from the Hartford area. Horizons is a safe haven for many of the girls who come from unsafe neighborhoods and domestic situations. The mission of Horizons is to help girls in Hartford public schools from underserved families improve their educational outcomes. We do this by providing year-round academic and swimming instruction, cultural enrichment opportunities, mentoring and educational guidance in a nurturing community of dedicated professionals and volunteers.
We are the first all-girls Horizons program in the country, and the first Horizons program in the Greater Hartford, working with underserved girls from Hartford public schools that qualify under free/reduced federal lunch guidelines, to prevent and reduce summer learning loss.
Horizons relies on community partners who provide funding, programs, and assistance in many ways:
- Have your workplace sponsor our upcoming events
- Become a speaker focusing on STEAM
- Assemble or contribute book bag & school supply drive
- Submit a video or testimonial of why you support our program
- Participate on Giving Day on March 2022!
- Become a board member or committee member
- Become a volunteer and participate in read-a-loud or mentorship program
- Host an informational session/meet-and greet
- Like, Follow and Support our FB page and subscribe to our e-newsletter
Horizons has a busy schedule including a 6-week summer enrichment program, mentorship and EWS Big Sisters, Cultural Enrichment, weekly swimming lessons, weekly field trips, Super Saturday Academy, STEAM education and Homework assistance helpline. Princess welcomed our members to become involved as community partners.
The budget for the program is $500,000 which pays for staff salaries, transportation, daily breakfast and lunch. A partnership is LEGO provides $200,000. They also received funds from non-profit foundations and grants.
The girls have a very strong bond with the students at EWS.
Mike Mezhiritskiy and Brian O'Donnell talked about extending our chess program to Horizons. Several other members also expressed interest and provided their contact information to Princess, who can be reached at:
