Getting an education does not come easy for everyone. Situations that we cannot control, such as family illness or relocating for employment, impact many individuals’ academic progress.

In 2010, Goodwill opened The Excel Center®, a public charter school for adults who want to earn an Indiana Core 40 diploma. The Excel Center is designed to address educational barriers and to accelerate coursework and career readiness through academic and life coaching, free onsite child care for young children, transportation assistance, flexible scheduling, accelerated (8-week) terms and year-round classes.

Students enrolled at The Excel Center can also earn free college credits and industry-recognized certifications.

In June 2018, Mercedes Cantrell, 22, graduated from The Excel Center in Shelbyville with a high school diploma. A mother to a young son, Cantrell now looks toward the future with hope. Read the speech she gave during her commencement ceremony below to learn more about her story.

Over 40 years of research proves the Nurse-Family Partnership^® model of working with first-time mothers can change behavior and lead to healthier birth outcomes. But can NFP positively influence the pregnancies of women who have had previous births? What impact does a nurse home visitor have on the development of older children in the home? These are the questions that NFP Founder Dr. David Olds wants to answer by studying multiparous moms—women who have borne more than one child.

Briahnna Gray graduated from The Excel Center® in Noblesville in February 2018. She graduated with a free job certification from The Excel Center with plans to earn an associate degree in physical therapy. At the graduation ceremony, Briahnna was honored with The Giver Award, which the school gives to students who are determined and inspiring. The award recipient was also a student speaker at her graduation ceremony and shared her journey with the community. Read her speech below:

“My Name is Briahnna Gray, and I’d be lying to you if I stood up here and tried to make you believe that fairy tales are real, and this was the easiest journey I have ever experienced. If it was easy, I wouldn’t be here at The Excel Center on this day getting my high school diploma. But who am I to tell you that it wasn’t? Well, I’m walking proof. So sit tight in your chairs and open your ears because, boy do I have a story to tell you.

Eskenazi Health is a champion of Goodwill’s NFP, evidenced by the fact that they made 851 referrals in 2017! Our partnership complements their own Healthy Families initiative, a free, community-based program that supports Marion County families with newborns.

Camree Banks graduated from The Excel Center® West in February 2018. Through her hard work and perseverance, she was able to overcome various obstacles. Her hard work paid off because she graduated Cum Laude and as a 21st Century Scholar. Camree plans to attend college in the fall to study photography, film and production. She shared her story at the graduation ceremony:

Pency Engmawii grew up with 11 siblings in a small Burmese village where education was difficult to acquire without wealth. Education is also approached differently in her home country.

July 26 marks the 28th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), a civil rights law that created protections for people with disabilities. The law comprehensively covers public accommodations, such as access to public buildings and government services, and also guarantees equal opportunity in the areas of employment, education, housing, even telecommunications and technology. People living with disabilities represent one of the largest minority populations in the U.S.

Goodwill is a longtime champion when it comes to inclusion for the nearly 50 million Americans — one out of five people — living with a disability. We advocate, create, and support opportunities both within and outside the walls of our own organization. Approximately  19% of Hoosiers experience some level of disability.

Here are some thoughts on the ADA from Betsy Delgado, Vice President of Mission and Education Initiatives:

What was life like for people living with disabilities before the ADA?

“The ADA really leveled the playing field. It afforded those with physical, intellectual or cognitive disabilities the opportunity to have fairer access to education, employment, housing, transportation and many other areas. The law is significant because all of those things make a difference in an individual’s ability to be independent — to have a productive and fulfilling life. The action word in Goodwill’s mission is ‘empowering.’ Through our many programs, including disability services, we create avenues for all people to lead independent lives and reach their highest potential. The ADA complements Goodwill’s mission across the organization.”