Meet Cheyenne Adkins, a 25-year-old wife, mother, and graduate of The Excel Center®.

Growing up, Cheyenne had a challenging start to her academic journey. Her parents struggled with addiction issues, which caused Cheyenne to bounce between households, miss school, and experience conflicts with school administration. Consequently, her grades began to slip, and she struggled to keep up with her education. During her senior year, Cheyenne left high school to pursue a full-time job and build a life on her own.

“It was hard to focus on school with so much going on at home. I kind of dissociated from it,” said Cheyenne. “I knew I needed a diploma to pursue a career, but I also needed to care for myself and find some stability.”

After leaving school, Cheyenne worked as an assistant manager at a shoe store. While she made ends meet, she desired more. At the recommendation of friends, Cheyenne felt like she was ready to check out The Excel Center, Goodwill’s high school for adults. The school’s individualized approach to learning, small class sizes and flexible scheduling provided a welcoming environment.

"I really appreciated the one-on-one time with the teachers and the ability to work at my own pace. It made learning easier for me," said Cheyenne.

Cheyenne graduated from The Excel Center with a Core 40 diploma and an industry-recognized certification in June 2017. 

Soon after, she enrolled in Goodwill Nurse-Family Partnership®, a program that pairs first-time, expectant parents with a registered nurse who makes one-on-one visits from pregnancy through the child’s second birthday. Cheyenne’s NFP Nurse urged her to return to school and earn another certification closely aligned with her goals. With the help of Goodwill’s post-graduation support system, she returned to The Excel Center to earn an additional certification, her pharmacy technician certification. Today, Cheyenne works for a pharmacy that allows her to work remotely and care for her children.

"I love my job," Cheyenne said. “The pharmacy world is so vast, and there are just so many opportunities to grow and receive support. I don’t think I’d be here without the help of The Excel Center.”

Since 2010, The Excel Center has empowered more than 8,000 Hoosiers to increase their potential by earning an Indiana Core 40 high school diploma.

To learn more, visit excelcenter.org.