News of Goodwill Industries of the Chesapeake officially opening the Baltimore Excel Center is attracting tremendous TV, radio and print coverage. Here are some standout highlights from recent headlines.
WBAL-TV I-Team reporter Lisa Robinson spotlighted how “as many as 80,000 Baltimore adults are estimated to have dropped out of high school, which puts them at a disadvantage for many opportunities.” Lisa Rusyniak, president and CEO of Goodwill Industries of the Chesapeake, said the program is the result of 10 years of planning. “Baltimoreans who dropped out of high school didn’t get to learn how to learn,” Rusyniak said. “Being able to learn is vital in employer training and other skill-training programs. The ability to learn is crucial to building a better life.”
WMAR-TV’s segment focused on how the Excel Center is tailored to working adults: “You don’t need an education to make a living but it significantly improves your odds. Now there’s a new spot to get that education for free…. People who drop out of high school earn 70% less than those who graduate. For several students the opportunity is enormous.” Excel Center student Shamar Rice explained, “I love to learn, but every school that I went to, I could not control what happened around me. I could just do my best at what I do. But I couldn’t do my best because of the people that were around me. So I just disparted myself from those individuals, which made me drop out all of those times. But every year I did decide to go back, but I just didn’t finish. And that stops this year.”
“Goodwill’s Excel Center aims to end poverty by making education more accessible for adults who might be constrained by work, child care and transportation,” wrote Lilly Price, education reporter at The Baltimore Sun. “The school on East Redwood Street has a drop-in child care center with room for 16 kids each period and a private room for breastfeeding. It also provides discounted bus passes and free parking. Students, who range from 21 to 80 years old, take classes customized to fit their schedules during eight-week terms. Instead of studying for a test like the GED, people take classes beyond the usual standardized exam subjects, including health, to graduate with a diploma from the Maryland State Department of Education. The accelerated program typically takes two years to complete, depending on how many credits a person starts with.”
Demetrius Dillard at The Baltimore Times penned a piece that describes the Excel Center as “a breath of fresh air for the city’s education system.” Lead Teacher DaShawn Archer said “Our impact in Baltimore is going to be huge. It’s unfortunate that a lot of students have dropped out of school in Baltimore City. However, we are here to give them a second chance. We are here to tell them, ‘hey, this is a new adventure, this is a new journey that you will come to in life and we’re trying to get you to the next level – whether it’s economically, socially, academically, mentally.’ We’re here to get students to the next level in order to thrive and meet their future goals and needs.”
Baltimore Magazine reported that the new adult high school “could be a boon for Baltimore’s workforce… Understanding the barriers that keep people from graduating in the first place, the Excel Center has supports including transportation assistance, free child care, and flexible class schedules, as well as life and job training/counseling.”
On hand to help celebrate the official opening of the new school were a number of Baltimore-area dignitaries, including, as CityBiz Baltimore noted, Elonna Jones, Baltimore City Regional Director in U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen’s office who presented Goodwill Industries of the Chesapeake with a citation. CityBiz also reported that Goodwill Board Chair Joe Durham likened dropping out of high school to jumping from a moving train. “You’re stranded there at the side of the tracks, watching your future pass you by,” said Durham, adding that the Excel Center provides a second chance not only for students but also for Baltimore. “We haven’t given up on Baltimore. Instead, we are providing it with a new asset this city can leverage for its residents who need a leg up.”
There were also mentions in the Baltimore Business Journal and Bisnow Baltimore. The BBJ reported: “The program, which is free for students, usually takes two years to complete and grants students official diplomas through the Maryland Department of Education. The program offers students flexible scheduling, childcare and transit assistance along with job training for growing sectors.”
The Principal Center podcast host Dr. Justin Bader also interviewed CEO Lisa Rusyniak about the Excel Center. Rusyniak told Bader: “One of the things that motivates me the most about the school is that this is going to change families. It’s not just the individual we’re affecting, but it’s the whole family. So imagine, you know, being able to help your kids with homework and your kids see their parent getting up and going to school and work every day and they’re building in a work ethic. So, I think this is going to impact generational poverty at a much greater level.”
The official opening of this new Excel Center has marked a significant milestone for the city of Baltimore, attracting significant headlines and interest. By providing tuition-free high school education for adults, the program will bridge the city’s educational gap and take a new approach to adult learning. With remarkable support, the center will be a beacon of hope and progress for many in the city of Baltimore. Everyone deserves a second chance at education and personal growth and the Baltimore Excel Center is the place to start.
