ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — Tucked inside Goodwill’s headquarters on OBT is a school that doesn’t look like one at first glance.
But step inside Project COMPASS, and you’ll find something powerful happening: students who once felt lost are now on track to graduate.
The program, a partnership between Orange County Public Schools and Goodwill Industries, opened its newly renovated campus last August. It serves students in grades 9 through 12 who weren’t thriving in traditional high schools, whether due to large class sizes, attendance struggles, or a need for more one-on-one support.
Take 17-year-old twins Jeremiah and Nicholas Portela. When they arrived at COMPASS as 11th graders, Jeremiah was carrying a 0.4 GPA. Nicholas was failing most of his classes.
Today? Both are earning A’s and B’s.
“The teachers here... They really focus on the students,” Nicholas said. “In my home school, there’d be so many students that teachers wouldn’t have time to focus on you. Sometimes it could be stressful, overwhelming.”
That’s the COMPASS difference: tiny classrooms. While traditional high schools often pack 20 to 30 students into a room, COMPASS classes range from one-on-one sessions to no more than 15 students. Teachers have time to notice when a student is struggling and step in before they fall further behind.
“We’re able to meet students where they’re at,” said Heather Ashby, COMPASS lead teacher. “Once they start feeling success, school becomes more fun.”
Goodwill provides modern facilities and job training opportunities. Students who raise their grades to 2.0 or higher can work part-time at Goodwill stores, learning real-world skills such as punctuality, customer service, and teamwork.
OCPS handles the academics, with students earning diplomas from their original home high schools.
It’s a model built on second chances. And with OCPS celebrating a record-high graduation rate this year, programs like COMPASS are ensuring that students who might otherwise slip through the cracks have a clear path to that diploma and everything it unlocks.
Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
©2026 Cox Media Group
