Alexis Hornung and Andrew Weston work together at their local Goodwill store in Corydon. They each turned 18 years old and graduated from high schools in Harrison County this past spring. Alexis, who graduated from Lanesville Senior High School with academic honors, always enjoyed being around kids and tutoring her classmates. Her passion for teaching was solidified at a young age by her stepmother, who taught special education.
Itzel Quintero is a mother of five children with a strong sense of will and determination. Initially living in California, Itzel and her family settled down in Indiana to start over and relieve some of their financial burdens. However, new financial barriers emerged after the cross country move. Itzel struggled to find solid employment that would allow her to provide for her children.
Indianapolis Metropolitan High School is designed for students experiencing circumstances that may present a barrier to education. Supports such as free child care, transportation assistance, family empowerment coaching and small class sizes help students remove those barriers and meet their goals.
Cheyenne Caldwell beamed with excitement as she walked across the stage to receive her Core 40 Diploma from The Excel Center®, Goodwill’s high school for adults. Graduating Cum Laude, Cheyenne’s hard work and determination finally paid off. Before attending The Excel Center, Cheyenne experienced many barriers that made it difficult to achieve her educational goals.
Raised by a single mom on the eastside of Indianapolis, life was not always easy for Perci Robertson. Outside influences and the added responsibility of working to help care for his siblings thrust Perci into adulthood at a young age. With his mother often working long hours to support their family, life at home lacked structure, and he struggled to maintain his focus and motivation in the classroom.
When Genesis Ortiz withdrew from high school during her senior year, she never imagined that she’d be pursuing a teaching degree nearly 10 years later.
