When Goodwill of Central & Southern Indiana and Per Scholas officially partnered in late 2022, they shared a simple but powerful goal: to open doors to opportunity through education. Per Scholas, a national nonprofit that provides no-cost technology career training and job connections, especially for individuals traditionally underrepresented in tech, moved into Goodwill’s corporate offices on West Michigan Street in January 2023. By March, the first cohort of learners had begun, bringing new energy, hope, and possibility into the space.

Ten years ago, a door opened in Shelbyville that changed the trajectory of hundreds of lives. Today, The Excel Center®, Goodwill of Central & Southern Indiana’s free public high school for adults, proudly announces the 10th anniversary of its Shelbyville location.

Behind every number is a person – a parent finding stability, a student earning a diploma, a neighbor securing stable housing. At Goodwill, measurable impact isn’t just something we report. It’s something happening every single day. In 2025, Goodwill’s mission came to life in powerful, measurable ways.

Austin was just one credit short of earning his high school diploma, but at the time, that single credit felt like a mountain to climb. School had never been a place where he felt comfortable or successful. Sitting still in a classroom was difficult with ADHD, and he often questioned whether finishing school even mattered. By his senior year, life had become even more complicated. Frequent moves and an abusive relationship made it difficult to focus on anything beyond simply getting through each day.

When Roddrick’s wife secretly signed him up for orientation at The Excel Center® , Goodwill’s tuition-free high school for adults, he thought she was joking. Decades after leaving school in the ninth grade, he walked into class  ready for a fresh start.

Goodwill of Central & Southern Indiana hosts its full-day Education and Mission Conference (GEM) every year. It’s a professional development event meant to connect mission and education staff across our service area. It provides an opportunity for them to learn from each other and share best practices through presentations and workshops.

When Saja Abbas was in middle school in Iraq, her education came to a sudden halt. The war that began in 2003 disrupted daily life, closing schools and shifting her family’s focus to survival. “I was a kid at home who didn’t understand what was going on,” Saja recalled. “But it was a big impact on my education.”

At just 14 years old, Brithney Isidore arrived in the United States from Chile with her mother and sister, stepping into a new country, culture and language. When she enrolled at Indianapolis Metropolitan High School, she spoke little English, often relying on Google Translate just to get through class. “It was hard for me to go through classes and just communicate in general,” she shared. But even then, Brithney refused to settle.

A new academic term is right around the corner at The Excel Center®, Goodwill’s tuition-free high school for adults, and now is a great time to enroll and take the first step toward earning your high school diploma.

At Goodwill of Central & Southern Indiana, sustainability is built into everything we do. From our retail stores to schools to manufacturing facilities, sustainability remains a top priority for Goodwill.