Horizons Savannah Proudly Announces Its New Executive Director, Christy Edwards

Aug. 24, 2011 - PRLog -- (SAVANNAH, GA) – Horizons Savannah proudly announces that it has hired a new Executive Director, Christy Edwards, to run this successful summer enrichment program for at-risk children and youth.

Horizons Savannah is an academic, cultural and recreational program designed to encourage students from a diverse, low-income population to realize their full potential, and Christy Edwards has the ideal qualifications to lead this organization to new heights.  With a background in non-profit management, administration and development, Ms. Edwards is well positioned to help Horizons Savannah thrive and grow.  Most recently, Ms. Edwards has worked as the Director of Development for the prestigious Royce Learning Center in Savannah, where she reduced budget expenditures while also raising net fundraising profits.  Ms. Edwards has also worked with United Way of the Coastal Empire as a 2-1-1 Manager during the Imperial Sugar Refinery crisis; as a Consultant and Project Manager for Step Up Savannah; and as South Georgia Program Manager for Hands on Georgia.

Ms. Edwards says, “I am very passionate about Horizons’ mission to help low-income students discover their true potential and develop a life-long love of learning.  This organization is truly changing the lives of children in our community, and I am honored to be a part of that.”

Tom Oxnard, Chairman of the Board of Directors for Horizons Savannah, adds, “The Horizons Savannah board is thrilled to welcome Christy Edwards as our new executive director.  The program has thrived for seven years, and Ms. Edwards has the background and dedication to take us to new levels serving the deserving children of Savannah.”

Lorna Smith, CEO of Horizons National, says, “We are very excited to have Christy join our team of highly qualified Executive Directors.  The Horizons program offers a wonderful opportunity for children in Savannah to continue learning over the summer.”

Recognized as one of America’s best summer learning programs, Horizons Savannah welcomes over 100 low-income, K-8 public school students each summer.  For five days a week over six weeks, students engage in a variety of activities at little cost to their families.  Students participate in academic lessons, college tours, cultural activities, swimming lessons, fun projects and weekly field trips.  In an assessment of students before the start of Horizons National’s summer 2009 programs, nearly 75 percent tested at or below grade level in reading.  By summer’s end, students gained an average of four months’ growth in reading.

For more information, please contact Horizons Savannah board member Katherine Oxnard Ellis at prhorizonssavannah@gmail.com, 912-704-3545, or visit our website at http://www.horizonssavannah.com/ .

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Horizons is a 6-week academic, cultural & recreational summer enrichment program that helps students from a diverse, low-income population build problem-solving skills, foster awareness of community responsibility & instill respect for oneself and others.