Born in California, Leticia Ibarra finished middle school before her family relocated to Mexico.

Coming to the United States from a different country can present many obstacles but also opportunities. For Dior Thioune, 30, one of her opportunities was education.

It’s hard to believe that it has been a full year since the merger of the central and southern Indiana Goodwills. One of the primary motivations for the merger was the desire to increase the pace with which we could deliver mission services to southern Indiana.

Courtney McCowan did not expect to drop out of high school only three months away from graduation. However, when she became pregnant with her first child, her health became her top priority.

When someone struggles with being in and out of the criminal justice system, it can be difficult to break the cycle. For many of these individuals, education becomes a solution to make that happen. Cortez Adkins, 23, enrolled at The Excel Center®, Goodwill’s high school for adults, in 2017 seeking a change in his life.

For adults, returning to high school can be a difficult task especially when life’s obstacles arise. However, with the right support, they can still thrive in a high school setting to reach their ultimate goal—graduation. Paige Mallory, 28, learned about The Excel Center®, Goodwill’s high school for adults, after she saw a flier. In fall 2016, she decided to enroll to better her life and her children’s lives.

The Excel Center, a unique high school that provides adults the opportunity to earn a Core 40 diploma, plans to celebrate surpassing 3,000 graduates at its winter graduation ceremonies on February 15 and 16. Having opened its first location in 2010, The Excel Center has seen consistent growth, including the expansion to 12 locations throughout central and southern Indiana.

Surrounding yourself with the right people can bring out qualities in yourself that you didn’t know existed. That’s exactly what happened when Kenyatta Tyler enrolled at The Excel Center® . Even with life’s trials and obstacles, Kenyatta was able to stay on track and remain a leader at the University Heights location with the support of staff.

After graduating from high school, you may think you’d never have to return. Jennifer Dunn didn’t believe she would have to either. She graduated from a private school in 1998, but a few years later found out that all of the records were lost when she tried to retrieve her transcripts for college. Her student records were never turned into the state, and she had to start over.