When students graduate from Horizons at Colorado Academy, they really aren’t done with the program – its work and impact continues to pay dividends.

Meet Veronica Lopez. She participated in the program from kindergarten through ninth grade and finished that freshman year of high school with the program during the summer of 2011 – the highest grade that Horizons serves. She went on to graduate from Abraham Lincoln High School this past May, and has now started college at Metropolitan State here in Denver.

Says Horizons Executive Director Jessie Skipwith, “Veronica is a wonderful example of the success that students who complete the program have.” Horizons graduates who are headed to college receive a $1,000 scholarship to help jumpstart their college careers.

Lopez returned to CA’s campus this summer to receive her scholarship. As Horizons at CA enters its sixteenth year, more and more of its graduates are of college age. Lopez was just one of three college-bound students who were awarded scholarships this summer, and Skipwith says you can tell they are off to a good start.

“Although Veronica is just starting out, she already plans to pursue a degree in criminal justice and plans to explore working with the United States military,” says Skipwith.

Lopez says one of her favorite memories of her time in Horizons was the opportunity to learn to swim. In fact, teaching Horizons students to swim is a prerequisite for a program to become part of the national Horizons network. Lopez says that she became such a proficient swimmer through Horizons that when she enrolled in high school, she made her high school swim team. Lopez recalls the excitement and confidence that she gained through participating in swimming at Horizons.

She also reflects on the variety of experiences she gained through the many electives she took at Horizons, the friendships she gained with students and teachers in Horizons, and the opportunities she gained by being part of the program.

She says Horizons has been a part of her development as a young adult, and now, the program plays a significant role in the life of her younger brother who is currently enrolled in Horizons at CA.