Why Enroll in The Excel Center?
At The Excel Center® Roanoke, we believe it’s never too late to achieve your educational and career goals. Our free high school for adults provides a flexible, supportive learning environment designed to help you earn your diploma, gain industry-recognized certifications, and build a pathway to a better future. With personalized support, including life coaching, career guidance, and childcare services, we remove barriers to success and empower you to take control of your future.
Join us and turn your aspirations into reality—because your success starts here!
Mission
Empowering individuals. Strengthening families. Inspiring communities.
Vision
Eliminating poverty through education and workforce development.
Purpose
Through the work of Goodwill, The Excel Center® provides adults with the opportunity to earn their high school diploma, gain industry-recognized credentials, and build brighter futures for themselves and their families.
About The Excel Center® Roanoke
The Excel Center® Roanoke is a free public high school designed for adults seeking to earn their diploma and advance their careers. Set to open in August 2025, The Excel Center will provide a flexible, supportive learning environment to help individuals overcome barriers to education and employment.
As part of the larger Melrose Plaza project, The Excel Center will play a key role in revitalizing Northwest Roanoke by bringing education, workforce development, and community services together under one roof. Located alongside other essential service providers, the school will support students with life coaching, career counseling, and industry-recognized certifications, ensuring they graduate with both a diploma and a pathway to sustainable employment.
Guided by Goodwill Industries of the Valleys, The Excel Center is committed to empowering individuals, strengthening families, and inspiring communities. With a focus on eliminating poverty through education, this initiative will provide adults with the tools they need to achieve their greatest potential and contribute meaningfully to the local workforce.
By removing common barriers such as childcare and transportation, The Excel Center offers a second chance at success, helping students build brighter futures for themselves and their families.
About Goodwill Industries of the Valleys
The Goodwill Industries of the Valleys that we know today was formed in January 2000 through the merger of four organizations with similar missions. All the organizations were committed to serving people in need. The organizations were the New River Valley Workshop, Developmental Center of Franklin County, ARC, and Goodwill Industries Tinker Mountain. Goodwill Industries of the Valleys is now better able to meet the needs of the individual communities throughout our service area.
School Director
It’s my honor and privilege to have joined such an exciting and innovative learning community that is The Excel Center of Roanoke. I am grateful for this opportunity to personally thank each of you for your interest and support of our school and students.
The Excel Center is dedicated to providing adults with a second chance at education, offering a tuition-free, high-quality academic experience that leads to a state-recognized high school diploma. Our mission is to empower students with the knowledge, skills, and confidence needed to build a brighter future for themselves and their families.
From the first day we opened our doors, we have been a respected institution within the community, committed to student success, workforce readiness, and lifelong learning. At The Excel Center, we serve a diverse student population, recognizing that every learner brings unique strengths, experiences, and aspirations. Our goal is to create a supportive and flexible learning environment, ensuring that all students—regardless of their past educational journey—have the opportunity to thrive and achieve their goals.
Marian Wright Edelman once said, “Education is for improving the lives of others and for leaving your community and world better than you found it.” This philosophy is at the heart of everything we do at The Excel Center. Education is more than just earning a diploma—it’s a pathway to opportunity, self-sufficiency, and a brighter future. Our students are not just transforming their own lives; they are becoming role models for their families, contributors to their communities, and leaders in their workplaces.
Every student within The Excel Center is unique, and our dedicated faculty and staff are trained and committed to nurturing the potential of each learner. In our inclusive and supportive environment, we build strong relationships between students, teachers, and staff, ensuring that every individual receives the guidance and encouragement needed to reach their full potential.
Our website will give you just a small glimpse of what The Excel Center has to offer, but nothing compares to experiencing our dynamic and engaging school community firsthand. We welcome your interest and invite you to visit us, meet our dedicated team, and see the transformative power of education in action. We look forward to meeting you!