More than 90 students recently graduated from Goodwill’s Helms Academy adult education program. Surrounded by family, friends, and Goodwill staff and Board members, the graduates celebrated attaining their high school diplomas at the Camden County Boathouse in Pennsauken, NJ. This marked Goodwill’s largest graduating class ever. The Helms Academy, a 100% tuition-free adult education program offered by Goodwill Industries of Southern NJ and Philadelphia, enables students to earn their high school diploma by completing the GED or HiSet exam, while simultaneously earning up to 30 college credits. The program is funded by the sale of donated items in Goodwill’s area thrift stores.
More than 25 years ago, Kevin, now 44, dropped out of high school after getting involved in selling drugs. In 2013, he launched a successful cleaning service but felt something was missing. Many years later, Kevin made the decision to pursue his high school diploma—fulfilling a promise he had made to his late grandmother. Once enrolled in Goodwill’s Helms Academy, he quickly completed four out of five required subjects. But math proved to be a major hurdle for him—he failed the exam four times. Kevin was determined to pass, creating a new study regimen: five days a week, four hours a day for two straight months. His hard work paid off and he finally passed the math portion. Now proud to hold his high school diploma, Kevin’s advice to the audience was, “It’s not how long the journey took,” he shared, “it’s if you’re willing to take that journey.”
Twenty-four-year old Vanesa struggled with balancing a full-time job at a car dealership; taking care of her daughter; and participating in classes at The Helms Academy. She dropped out of high school when she became a mother at age 15. Years later she learned that her school academic records were lost. Forced to basically start from scratch, Vanesa appreciated the flexibility of taking both in-person and online classes at her own pace. She put in the time and passed all of the subjects. At Goodwill’s recent graduation ceremony, she was honored to receive The Helms Academy’s Lifelong Learning Award. “I refused to be a statistic,” she said. “I cried so hard when I finished. I’m so happy to finally have this diploma and to be a role model from my daughter.”
Suffering from anxiety and lack of motivation along with the isolation impact of the pandemic, Justin, age 21, dropped out of high school during his junior year. His dad had done the same. With support from his grandmother, Justin found the courage to turn things around by enrolling in Goodwill’s Helms Academy. According to Justin, it was his Helms Instructor Patti who showed love, grace and encouragement which helped him rebuild his confidence and confront the anxiety that once plagued him. Not only did he complete his GED—he earned the highest overall score in social studies. Justin currently works at Wawa and plans to enroll in college this September, where he plans to study radiologic technology. In Justin’s words: “You’re worth more than an A, B, C, D, or F. You can do it—my life is a testimony to that.”
Our donations and purchases at Goodwill help fund The Helms Academy and many other life changing career development programs. To learn more about our tuition-free adult education program, please visit www.helmsacademy.org.
To view more job training programs offered by Goodwill Industries of Southern NJ & Philadelphia, please click here.
