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.

Goodwill-Community Health East Partnership Educates, Employs

For several years, Goodwill has hosted tours for community and business leaders interested in
learning more about our programs and services. In 2015, Community Health Network brought a group to participate, which yielded a mutually beneficial relationship characterized by employment, education and training for individuals interested in a pharmacy technician career.

When Heather Simmons learned about The Excel Center®, a free high school for adults, she’d been out of high school for 18 years, working in the fast food industry. At 35 years old, she  wanted more for herself and her family.

In 2010, Goodwill of Central & Southern Indiana recognized that over half-a-million adults in Indiana lacked a high school diploma. Having already opened Indianapolis Metropolitan High School in 2004, a public charter school for traditional-aged students that focuses on college and career pathways, Goodwill was well positioned to meet this challenge.