LOUISVILLE, KY. – Goodwill Kentucky’s tuition-free high school for adults, The Excel Center®, held its fourth graduation ceremony yesterday at the Norton Healthcare Sports and Learning Complex in Louisville. The ceremony honored more than 75 students who have taken advantage of the resources available at The Excel Center and completed the requirements necessary to graduate with a state-accredited high school diploma.
Goodwill President and CEO Amy Luttrell, Goodwill Chief Financial Officer and Excel Center Superintendent Mark Hohmann, Excel Center Director Marsha Berry, Excel Center Lead Life Coach Mary Simmons, Executive Director of the Office of Kentucky Adult Education Dr. John Gregory, Senator Keturah Herron, and Representative Jason Nemes shared words of encouragement during the ceremony.
“Opportunity means that conditions are right for your success,” said Luttrell. “We see a lot of people at Goodwill and the Excel Center who have never had conditions that allowed them to succeed. … We help find solutions for all the barriers that might stand in your way, and things that can hold you back from succeeding, and provide solutions. And when conditions are right for success, that creates hope, and hope is powerful.”
In Kentucky, there are more than 300,000 working-age adults 18 years old or older who have not completed high school or earned an equivalent certification. Their median annual earnings are $18,137 compared to the $25,191 per year that adults with a high school diploma earn.
The Excel Center®, located at 6203 Preston Highway in Louisville, is open to these individuals free of charge. It meets students where they are and offers a unique learning environment that caters to the life demands they now face as adults. To help its adult students succeed in earning their diplomas, The Excel Center® features:
- Flexible eight-week class schedules
- Free on-site childcare by way of the YMCA of Greater Louisville
- Transportation assistance
- Industry-recognized certification options
- Life coaches who help graduates transition into college or meaningful careers
The concept of The Excel Center was initiated by Goodwill Education Initiatives, Inc., a not-for-profit organization formed by Goodwill of Central & Southern Indiana. Since the first Excel Center opened in Indianapolis in 2010, the program has expanded to include 47 schools in 10 states. Collectively, they have graduated nearly 15,000 students.
To learn more about Goodwill Kentucky’s Excel Center, visit GoodwillKYExcelCenter.org.
About Goodwill Kentucky
Goodwill Kentucky is a 101-year-old nonprofit organization that operates in 103 of Kentucky’s 120 counties. The organization is committed to using resources from its nearly 70 retail stores to fund workforce resources that help lift individuals out of poverty. In 2024, Goodwill Kentucky helped place 3,092 Kentuckians into jobs with its 1,400-plus employer partners and inside its retail stores. Goodwill Kentucky uses approximately 90 cents from every dollar generated in its retail stores to operate workforce programs, so when you give to Goodwill, you do a lot of good.