Tom Wood Ford recently hosted an open house for Goodwill’s Excel Center students, graduates and mission program participants to learn firsthand about employment opportunities and a service tech apprenticeship program.
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.
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.
India Daye was a senior in high school when she first learned she was pregnant. She lacked stable housing and worked part-time at a fast-food restaurant through her pregnancy to help support her family.