In 2022, a team at Goodwill Colorado and Goodwill Education Initiatives examined the feasibility and need for opening The Excel Center®, Goodwill’s tuition-free high school for adults, in their state. Not only did they find a need, but they also discovered an extensive network of support for opening an adult high school.

According to James Sanchez, Director of Education and Training at Goodwill Colorado, the process to open an adult high school in Colorado required support at the state-legislative level.

“There are over 300,000 Coloradans without a high school diploma. Once we understood the need for The Excel Center, we worked with local and state-level organizations to make it possible for adults over age 22 to earn their high school diploma in Colorado.”

Goodwill Colorado identified Aurora as the right city to open the state’s first Excel Center.  Renovation on the school building was completed in July 2024 and they held their first class on August 5th. 

“We identified Aurora, Colorado, as our first location due to several factors. It is the third largest city in the state and has a high number of people without a high school diploma,” Sanchez said.

The campus in Aurora was one of six new Excel Center locations that opened in the fall of 2024 as part of The Excel Center National Network. Four new campuses opened in Indiana, one in Colorado, and one in Texas. The Excel Center National Network is now serving students in ten states and Washington, D.C. These new campuses worked with The Excel Center National Office, operated by Goodwill of Central & Southern Indiana, to prepare for opening.

“The staff at every school that opened this fall put in an immense amount of work over the last twelve months,” said Sarah Thomas, Senior Director for The Excel Center National Office. “Opening an adult high school is difficult, but each team navigated their challenges as they arose. They are all clearly incredibly dedicated to ensuring the students they serve have access to the best education environment possible. Our team is so happy to be working with them.”

The Excel Center National Office is part of Goodwill of Central & Southern Indiana. Support for the national expansion of The Excel Center comes from Truist Foundation and The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation.

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