In the heart of rural Indiana, where the roads stretch long and the opportunities can sometimes feel sparse, you would find David. When Susan Sheets, Goodwill TalentSource™ Rural Career Pathways Grant Coordinator, first met David in January 2025, he had just graduated from The Excel Center® in Richmond. He was a young man with a sharp mind for logic and math but faced barriers that would have caused many to stay exactly where they were.

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.

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.