Keisha White, director of the Excel Center on West Ridge Road in Gary, and Dr. Countess Anderson, director of the Excel Center in Hammond, told the School City of East Chicago Board of Trustees on Nov. 26 that their adult education program offers a free Core 40 high‑school diploma for residents age 18 and older and provides wraparound supports.

"We are mission to transform adult lives through the power of achieving a high school diploma," Keisha White said, describing services that include childcare, transportation assistance, life coaching and vocational career assistance. White said the Excel Center is part of Goodwill Michiana and emphasized it is a partner to the district: "We are not a competitor. We are here as a partner."

Dr. Countess Anderson said the Hammond Excel Center uses structured classroom instruction rather than GED testing, offers flexible daily schedules with four periods so students can work around jobs, and teams adult students with life coaches and highly qualified teachers to build academic plans using credits students have already earned. "We take the credits that they've already earned here, and we then build an academic plan to help them finish out those Core 40 credits," Anderson said.

Trustees asked about program delivery and outreach. The presenters said classes are primarily in person but include online opportunities; the program requires weekly in‑person check‑ins and will make community visits for students unable to travel. Trustee Smith and others who had observed Hammond programming described it as successful and asked the Excel Center to coordinate introductions with district leadership and Goodwill’s executive staff to discuss partnerships and potential dual‑credit arrangements.

Why it matters: The Excel Center targets adults who did not complete high school and offers supports that can remove common barriers — childcare, transportation and flexible schedules — that impede adult re‑enrollment. For the district, the program may expand adult‑education opportunities without redirecting district K–12 capacity.

What’s next: District staff said the Excel Center presentation will be returned to the board packet for approval as an item on Dec. 9 for formal agreement or next steps.

Speakers (selected): Keisha White (Excel Center director, West Ridge) — first on record at SEG 064; Dr. Countess Anderson (Excel Center director, Hammond) — first on record at SEG 068; Trustee Smith (SEG 015) and Trustee Taylor (SEG 019) asked follow‑up questions.

Provenance: topicintro SEG 039, topfinish SEG 203.