The Clarke County School District and Barnett Shoals Elementary School are honored to welcome First Lady Jill Biden and U.S. Secretary of Education Dr. Miguel Cardona to Athens on Thursday, July 21, as they visit with 30 Barnett Shoals Elementary School (BSES) students who are participating in the 2022 Horizons Atlanta summer program at the University of Georgia.

Horizons Atlanta at UGA was made possible through President Biden’s coronavirus relief program, which provided federal funding to help schools address academic and mental health deficits created by the COVID-19 pandemic. The six-week program, which began June 6 and concludes Friday, July 22, offers a high-quality academic program with an emphasis on literacy and STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and math), blended with fitness, field trips, cultural enrichment, and confidence-building activities. Every Horizons Atlanta Scholar also learns to swim. 

The Horizons program will continue to support scholars and their families at Barnett Shoals during the school year through workshops on topics such as financial planning, immigration documentation, knowledge of college opportunities, and more.

The Clarke County School District is committed to doing whatever it takes to boost the academic achievement of all scholars and ensuring that every child has an opportunity to have an opportunity to be successful. Partnering with Horizons Atlanta and UGA has allowed the District yet another opportunity to support students who would benefit the most from summer academic and cultural enrichment. Students who participate in the program qualify for free or reduced lunch, and by design roughly two-thirds who participate perform below grade level when they first enroll. 

Please see the CCSD website at www.clarke.k12.ga.us and follow us on Facebook for more information on Dr. Biden’s and Dr. Cardona’s visit Thursday.