Horizons

 

Horizons at Case Western Reserve University

Horizons is a mentoring organization where medical students and undergraduates from Case Western Reserve University collaborate with local high school students for mutual benefit. By forming personal and professional relationships in family groups, there is the opportunity to both learn and teach about topics within the field of medicine. Horizons's mission is to use the field of medicine to empower inner city teens as learners and teachers to support their intrinsic motivations to achieve academically and to help them realize their potential. Through a combination of clinical exposure, problem-based learning, mentorship, and self-reflection, Horizons strives to alleviate the academic achievement gap among students of varying racial and socioeconomic demographics.

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Program Summary

 

Horizons is a three-year program for 10th-12th grade students at mc2STEM High School and Lincoln West High School, public schools in the Cleveland Metropolitan School District. In August, sophomore students from these high schools are invited to complete an application explaining why they wish to participate in the program. From this pool, sixteen participants are selected.  

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Undergraduate mentors are selected end of first semester, and paired with families for the second semester. Prior to the program, there will be a training session and bonding where the requisites of the curriculum will be outlined. Family selection will occur shortly after. 

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The core curriculum runs once a week on Wednesday afternoons from Sept-Nov in the fall, with a 3 week break, for 11th and 12th graders, during which participants shadow medical students and physicians, tour the campus, and learn about a specified health topic from various angles.  These health topics are unique to each grade level and include sexual and reproductive health for 11th graders and drug and alcohol abuse for 12th graders. We will also run once a week in the spring from Jan-Feb for 10th and 11th graders.

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We hold monthly mentorship activities to reunite family members in a more relaxed atmosphere, such as a movie and pizza night, a trip to the Doc Opera, and other various fun and educational events. We also will be working towards incorporating a more interprofessional mindset this year, with a panel towards the end of the year including a medical student, dental student, social work student, nursing student, etc.

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Our Generous Sponsors

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Our program would not be possible without the gracious support of our funders:

• Mt. Sinai Foundation

• Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine

• Office of Curricular Affairs at the CWRU School of Medicine through Dean Terry Wolpaw

• Committee of Student Representatives at the CWRU School of Medicine

Previous sponsors

• Sigma Xi Research Fraternity of CWRU

• Office of Academic Societies at the CWRU School of Medicine through Dean Robert Haynie

• Subway and Rascal House