WYRZ.org 98.9 WYRZ – The Voice of Hendricks County
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – The Excel Center, a free public high school for adults, is currently accepting enrollment applications. New classes begin February 21 at all 15 Excel Center locations [1], six of which are in Marion County.
Students who have left high school are able to pick up where they left off at The Excel Center and earn a Core 40 high school diploma. Owned and operated by Goodwill of Central and Southern Indiana, The Excel Center offers flexible scheduling and expedited curriculum which helped over 730 adults graduate with a state-recognized diploma in the 2020-21 school year… graduates like Shanalin:
“By the time I was 24, I had four kids, was in an abusive relationship and had no additional help…I didn’t know how I was going to get by.”
Shanalin Connery, 31, was living on her own and working full-time to make ends meet before she found The Excel Center.
“I grew up in an unstable environment and was forced out of my home at the age of 17. Due to these circumstances, I was unable to complete high school,” Shanalin said.
Designed to meet the needs of adults, The Excel Center helps students prepare for life after high school by offering onsite college credits and industry-recognized certification courses — all at no cost. The Excel Center Class of 2021 earned a 98% college and career readiness rate.
“I became a certified medical assistant through The Excel Center and now work for St. Vincent Ascension Hospital in the OBGYN office while attending college full time to obtain my degree to become a Registered Nurse.”
Free onsite child care and transportation assistance are also available to students.
“If you would have told me ten years ago that today I’d be where I am now working, in a field I absolutely love, I would have laughed. This life is like a dream come true, and I would not be able to be where I am today if it was not for the support and guidance of The Excel Center.
They changed my life.”
Those interested in enrolling at The Excel Center can apply online at excelcenter.org [2]. The application is free and takes less than 10 minutes to complete. New students are encouraged to contact The Excel Center for more information or for assistance completing their application.
About Goodwill of Central & Southern Indiana
Goodwill of Central & Southern Indiana changes lives every day by empowering people to increase their independence and reach their potential through education, health and employment. The organization serves 39 Indiana counties and operates more than 70 retail locations, as well as charter schools for adults and youth, a maternal-child health program, a childcare center and more.
