Horizons Savannah, an acclaimed tuition-free program in Savannah, Ga. for students K-12 designed to inspire local youth to learn and grow throughout the summer and beyond, is pleased to announce the fact that the organization is currently in the process of transitioning to independent 501(c)3 nonprofit status.

Horizons Savannah was originally an idea championed and developed by former Savannah Country Day School Headmaster Dr. Paul Pressly 23 years ago. Over the past decade, Horizons Savannah has expanded programs by more than 70% to meet the growing needs of local students and families. In light of the program’s remarkable growth, Horizons Savannah has applied to the IRS for independent 501(c)3 nonprofit status. 

“We’re thrilled that everything will be exactly the same for Horizons Savannah students, families and community partners for the upcoming year,” said Christy Edwards, Executive Director at Horizons Savannah. “Horizons Savannah has no expected changes for next year, which means everything will be ‘business as usual,’ other than operating as an independent entity. 

Horizons Savannah will continue to offer the same tuition-free programs for K-12 students and to inspire youth to learn and grow throughout the year. The nonprofit will provide academics, swimming and social-emotional learning opportunities for local youth.

 The Horizons Savannah team is dedicated to its mission to partner with youth, families and the community to enrich the lives of students with the joy of learning, the skills for success and the inspiration to realize their dreams. To date, the program has served more than 1,000 local students, offering a wide range of enrichment opportunities at local host schools, including Savannah Country Day School, Savannah Christian Preparatory School and Bethesda Academy.

Originally founded at Savannah Country Day School in 2002, Horizons Savannah makes a transformative impact on the lives of more than 300 local students each year who attend tuition-free, 6-week summer academic and enrichment programs as well as additional year-round educational programs. The program will continue to maintain an office on the Savannah Country Day campus.

“We’re extremely impressed by the growth and expansion of the Horizons Savannah program over the years and are deeply honored to support such a transformative mission,” said Savannah Country Day School Head of School Kef Wilson. “Kudos to the Horizons Savannah team for empowering local students with the skills and confidence they need for lifelong success.”

According to a recent longitudinal study, Horizons students improve reading and math skills and have higher school attendance rates, fewer disciplinary referrals, higher standardized test scores in science and math and fewer incidents of repeating a grade.

“We look forward to inspiring the joy of learning and supporting student success for many years to come,” said Edwards. “We can’t wait to help local students learn, grow and achieve their goals in 2026 and beyond.”