Dakota McLaughlin experienced significant challenges growing up. His mother passed away when he was young, and he was also bullied at school, especially when he came out as gay, which often left him feeling alone. After experiencing domestic violence from a family member, Dakota felt safer leaving home, even though he had nowhere else to go.
The Pride of Achievement
[fa icon="calendar'] Jun 6, 2023 9:31:13 AM / by Jenny Kakasuleff posted in Disability, Success Story, The Excel Center, Education, Criminal History, Former Addiction, Mission Awareness, Mission Coaches, Goodwill Education, Pride Month, LGBTQ, DEI
Congratulations to Our 2023 Educators of the Year!
[fa icon="calendar'] Jun 2, 2023 2:30:00 PM / by Jennifer Wade posted in Employment, The Excel Center, Indianapolis Metropolitan High School, Education, Mission Awareness, Multi-gen impact, Goodwill Education
Goodwill of Central & Southern Indiana proudly presents its 2023 Educators of the Year!
Dedicated Teacher Makes a Difference in the Classroom
[fa icon="calendar'] May 10, 2023 9:15:00 AM / by Jenny Kakasuleff posted in Employment, Disability, The Excel Center, Education, Retail, Southern Indiana, Mission Awareness, Goodwill Education
Sarah Schwartz graduated from Indiana University Southeast in 2014 with a bachelor’s degree in education and a concentration in math. There weren’t many positions available for math teachers near her home in southern Indiana, so she continued to work part-time in the IU Southeast math lab. She also got a second job at a Goodwill retail store to earn extra income.
Opening “a million and one doors” with a High School Diploma
[fa icon="calendar'] Jan 6, 2023 8:45:00 AM / by Jennifer Wade posted in The Excel Center, Education, Mission Awareness, Goodwill Education, The Excel Center National Office
Byron Pillow Jr., 23, was born and raised in Indianapolis, Indiana. As a teenager who struggled with multiple learning disabilities, school wasn't a priority for Pillow, despite having support from his family.
Mother of 5 Graduates from The Excel Center
[fa icon="calendar'] Jan 3, 2023 9:30:00 AM / by Jennifer Wade posted in Employment, The Excel Center, Education, Mission Awareness, Goodwill Education, The Excel Center National Office
Born in Mexico, Imelda Lopez lived far away from her local high school, and due to transportation barriers, she never attended. She moved to the United States as a teenager, was married at the age of 16, had her first child at 17, and then four more after that. To help support her family, she always worked. She was employed at a factory for 10 years, but the work became too taxing as she grew older.
Empowerment Through Education
[fa icon="calendar'] Dec 30, 2022 11:00:00 AM / by Jenny Kakasuleff posted in Success Story, The Excel Center, Education, Language Barrier, refugee, Mission Awareness, Mission Coaches, Goodwill Education
Imagine being denied a basic education unless you pledge allegiance to political beliefs that you do not ascribe to. This is what Rizan Hajji Mohamed faced when he was forced to flee his home country of Syria.
A Fresh Start at The Excel Center
[fa icon="calendar'] Dec 20, 2022 4:05:55 PM / by Rachel Moehle posted in Success Story, The Excel Center, Education, Mission Awareness, Goodwill Education
Nicole Castro learned to be independent at a very young age. As a child, her parents faced severe legal trouble. In an effort to remain undiscovered, they pulled Nicole out of school at just seven years old. At 16, after years of instability and moving from place to place to avoid the authorities, Nicole decided to strike out on her own. While her peers were planning for prom and school sporting events, she was preparing to start a new life. Soon after, she met and married her now-husband, and they started a family together.
Drawing Inspiration From Each Other | Educator Spotlight
[fa icon="calendar'] Dec 16, 2022 2:00:00 PM / by Rachel Moehle posted in The Excel Center, Education, Goodwill Education
It’s not every day that you meet someone who can say they are still in love with their career after more than two-and-a-half decades. Then again, it’s not every day that you meet someone like Felicia Harrison.
National Hispanic Heritage Month | Staff Spotlight: Deyanira Hernandez
[fa icon="calendar'] Oct 11, 2022 3:01:38 PM / by Jennifer Wade posted in Nurse-Family Partnership, The Excel Center, Education, Mission Awareness, Mission Coaches, Goodwill Education, National Hispanic Heritage Month
Finding My Place
[fa icon="calendar'] Oct 4, 2022 9:00:00 AM / by Pedro Mosquera posted in The Excel Center, Education, Goodwill Education
At 19 years old, I am proud to say that I graduated from high school this year as the salutatorian of my class. Originally from Venezuela, I earned an education at home that did not transfer to the United States. Upon learning about the education opportunities right here in Noblesville, I was thrilled to learn about The Excel Center®, a free high school for adults owned and operated by Goodwill, which led me to the happiest year of my life so far!