ACHIEVER OF THE YEAR NORMA MEDINA RAMIREZ
The Frank Lyon, Jr. Achiever of the Year recipient is awarded to an individual employed by Goodwill and serves as a role model and inspiration for recip- ients of services in the Goodwill family. They must also show determination to overcome the barriers in their employment.
Norma’s journey with Goodwill began as a student at The Excel Center, Arkansas’s only tuition-free adult high school. “Before Good- will, I wasn’t very positive,” she shared. “I think me not having my high school diploma stopped me from doing a lot of things.” De- termined to change that, Norma earned her diploma, opening doors
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to opportunities she once thought were out of reach. After graduation, she joined The Excel Center team as a receptionist, eager to give back to the same program that changed her life. But Norma’s ambition didn’t stop there. She continued advancing her education and professional skills, and today she proudly serves as the IT instructor at The Academy at Goodwill— helping others discover the same confidence and purpose she found through Goodwill. Currently pursuing her bachelor’s degree in Information Technology at Western Governors University, Norma continues to model lifelong learning and resilience. “Goodwill has taught me that no matter the situation you’re going through,” she said, “there’s always a solution.” When asked about receiving the award, she smiled and said, “I still can’t be- lieve it.” Her journey reminds us all that with determination, education, and opportuni- ty, anything is possible. Norma Medina Ramirez truly exemplifies what it means to be an Achiever of the Year—proof that Goodwill’s mission changes lives for generations.
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