A partnership between Goodwill Manasota and Manatee Technical College has yielded its first success, as a local student, Kashani Abnar, was able to earn her GED and take the next step toward her future.

Abnar left high school in 11th grade, enrolling and excelling in an alternative school program, going from six to 18 credit hours in just one year. But when she turned 18, she was no longer eligible for the program. She began working at Goodwill in April 2017, and began meeting with a GoodPartner Coach shortly after. The first goal Abnar identified was to earn her GED and, at that time, Manatee Technical College was providing a GED class at her work location. Her leadership team was flexible, enabling her to work toward her diploma while both on and off the clock, and Goodwill covered the cost of the vouchers needed to take her GED Ready tests. After that, she passed all four of her GED test subjects. Abnar walked the stage at the end of May, with two Goodwill GoodPartner Coaches in attendance.

Abnar will now pursue her paralegal certification, beginning classes in January 2020. Her certification is being funded by Goodwill’s Rick and Coni Fawley Scholarship Fund.

Goodwill Manasota