Widening Horizons (Washington, D.C.)

Widening Horizons was a job-oriented program conceived and launched in 1962 by a committee of Cabinet wives headed by Mrs. Arthur Goldberg and Mrs. Robert McNamara. Conceived with an interagency staff in mind, Widening Horizons was to be a way of responding to the various needs of D.C. youths, including education, employment, and recreational activities. The main objective of the program was to prepare urban youths for the world of work, giving them a chance to investigate different job opportunities and resources Washington D.C., had to offer. It encouraged children to stay in school by providing constructive, positive learning activities in the summer. In 1974, the program changed its name to FOCUS (Future Occupations and Careers for Urban Students) but in 1985 returned to its original name. The program was absorbed by the Public Schools of the District of Columbia in 1999.