“We are proud to offer this first-of-its-kind free high school in Baltimore,” said Goodwill Industries of the Chesapeake CEO Lisa Rusyniak. “We know that people who dropout of high school earn 70% less than those who graduate, so coming to the Excel Center will be a life-changing boost for adults who want to improve their prospects. Imagine their new earning power after graduating with a diploma and new job skills. Lives that were limited by their lack of education before coming to the Excel Center will be liberated to pursue new opportunities. We can’t wait to see the success stories that will emerge from this life-changing experience.”

“Goodwill Industries of the Chesapeake recognizes that there shouldn’t be an age limit on learning. Through this new Baltimore Excel Center, they will help adult learners unlock their full potential through high-quality education, mentorship, and other support services. I’m proud to have helped secure federal funding for this center to help more Baltimoreans open doors to greater opportunity,” said Senator Van Hollen.

The Excel Center is ideal for working adults and parents, offering free drop-in childcare, transportation assistance, flexible class schedules, plus embedded life counseling and job training to help students prepare for high-growth industries. Only Maryland residents are eligible to apply.

The school offers a streamlined, accelerated, self-paced, and highly individualized academic program that typically takes two years to complete, depending on how many high school credits a student has already accumulated. Students who complete the program receive a Maryland State Department of Education diploma.

The Center’s proven curriculum, already shown to be successful at the 37 other Goodwill Excel Centers in the U.S., will help Baltimoreans without a high school degree compete in today’s modern workforce. After completion of Excel Center programs in other cities, 70% of graduates enroll in college or are employed six months after graduation, and 39% of Excel Center graduates have increased their earnings compared to those without a diploma.

Research has shown there is an eight-month return on investment to the state after an Excel Center student graduates, and a 34-month return on investment for non-graduates.

The Baltimore Excel Center will be paid for by a mix of federal, state, and donated funds:

• $1.4 million Congressional Direct Spending federal grant secured by U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD)
• $1 million in FY2023 and FY2024 in the Maryland state budget with the assistance of Senate President Ferguson, Senator Guzzone, and the Maryland legislature
• $1 million from Goodwill Industries of the Chesapeake for building renovation/capital spending
• $250,000 annually from the Maryland Department of Education
• $250,000 in capital support from the Abell Foundation for building renovation
• $500,000 in capital support from the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation for building renovation
• $200,000 in capital support from the France-Merrick Foundation for building renovation

About Goodwill Industries of the Chesapeake, Inc.
Goodwill Industries of the Chesapeake, Inc. prepares people to secure and retain employment and build successful independent lives. Goodwill annually provides services to more than 58,000 people in need of assistance because of physical, mental or other social barriers and places approximately 2,500 into jobs giving them “Not a charity, but a chance.” For more information, visit: https://goodwillches.org/

About Goodwill Excel Centers
The Goodwill Excel Centers are unique, tuition-free adult high schools that award industry recognized certifications and high school diplomas, not GEDs, to adult learners. Excel Centers respond to the fact that life commitments, and circumstances can often stop people from continuing their high school education. For more information about the Baltimore Excel Center, please visit: https://excelcentermd.org/ For more information on all Goodwill Excel Centers, visit: https://www.goodwillexcelcenter.org/

Media Contact

Marc Silverstein, On The Marc Media, 202-716-9123, [email protected], https://onthemarcmedia.com/

SOURCE Goodwill Industries of the Chesapeake