Goodwill Industries of the Chesapeake has a good problem on its hands: Hundreds of people have already lined up for the 150 spots available at its new tuition-free adult high school in Baltimore, called the Excel Center. The center will officially open at the end of September, interested Baltimore adults can apply now: https://excelcentermd.org/
Baltimoreans who didn’t complete high school and are looking for a second chance see the Excel Center not only as a way to get their high school diploma, but also as a path toward a better future.
“We are responding to a critical need in Baltimore,” says Lisa Rusyniak, President & CEO at Goodwill Industries of the Chesapeake. “You can get your diploma, the skills you need, to bridge today’s digital divide and earn a better living — a better life.”
Applications are being accepted on a first come, first served basis. Applicants must be 21 or older and only Maryland residents are eligible to apply. The Excel Center program is a streamlined, highly individualized academic program. Goodwill estimates needing about 1,000 applications to fill the 150 available spots.
Over time, Goodwill Industries of the Chesapeake plans to expand classroom sizes and hire more teachers.
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Adding Capacity: In the coming years, Goodwill hopes to expand the 150 slots to 350 students per session.
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Downtown Location: The Excel Center will be housed in Goodwill’s former headquarters building on Redwood Street in downtown Baltimore. Construction is on track to have the facility completed and ready to accept the first Excel Center students in late September.
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Department of Education Diploma: The Excel Center will award an actual Maryland State Department of Education diploma, not a GED.
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Ideal for Working Adults & Parents: The Excel Center will include free drop-in childcare, transportation assistance, flexible class schedules, plus embedded life counseling and job training.
Baltimore’s will be the 38th Excel Center in the U.S. Since the first center launched in Indianapolis in 2010, Excel Centers have changed countless lives by making the path toward a quality education and a better future more accessible than ever.
So far, Excel Centers around the nation have awarded 6,700+ industry-recognized certifications, and 99% of graduates earned college credits or industry-recognized certifications and saw an estimated 280% increase in average wages one year after graduation.
Interested Baltimore adults can apply at: https://excelcentermd.org/
