With the Help of Community Partnerships

Project Horizons provides exciting opportunities for local under-served students in grades 7-12. Operated through Eastern Shore Community College Foundation in partnership with Accomack County and Northampton Public Schools, the program provides mentoring, enrichment opportunities and a direct pathway to higher ed and job opportunities. 

Project Horizons Coordinator Miriam Cornwell explains, “One of our goals is to expose students to local job opportunities across a variety of fields and connect them with mentors where possible.”

On February 13, 28 high school students from both counties toured Riverside Shore Memorial Hospital as part of the Project Horizons/Discovery program. Students began with a front row seat at a daily hospital briefing from department heads. Students toured various departments including:  pharmacy, lab, cardiology, facilities, imaging, dietary, operating room, nursing, and respiratory. Professionals described their work, as well as educational paths or training needed. RSMH provided students with a delicious lunch and a Q&A session with Nick Chuquin, President of Riverside Shore Memorial Hospital. In November, Project Horizons middle school students traveled to Hog Island by boat with The Nature Conservancy for a hands-on exploration of local barrier islands including seine net fishing and specimen collection.

In early February, three high school students shadowed professionals at NASA Wallops Flight Facility in technology and science. An 11^th grade Project Horizons student will spend part of his spring break continuing to shadow attorney Rachel Kellam to learn about our legal system, attend court hearings, and meet professionals in the legal field. Last August, four students visited Eastern Shore Rural Health System’s Onley Center to learn about day-to-day operations and speak with doctors and providers about training, education, and their experiences in the medical field. 

Spring brings even more opportunities for Project Horizons students. A grant from Virginia Commission for the Arts introduced students to dance by Latin Ballet of Virginia on March 1 at ESCC. This project was supported, in part, by the Virginia Commission for the Arts, which receives support from the Virginia General Assembly and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency.

On March 18, students will spend the day at YMCA’s Camp Silver Beach honing their leadership and communication skills and facing their fears on the zip-line. The high school cohort will round out the year with a tour of Goldey-Beacom College in Delaware. This year’s busy program will culminate with a family event in June at ESCC for all Project Horizons students to celebrate their accomplishments.

The Project Horizons/Discovery program is administered through Eastern Shore Community College Foundation with funding from a Project Discovery grant, individual donors, and a small endowment. The local Project Horizons program has received a 100% green rating for program quality from Project Discovery of Virginia. For more information, contact Miriam Cornwell:  mcornwell@es.vccs.edu 757-789-1742.