In the lobby of the Kelso McDonald's where she works, Nikki Thompson celebrated a milestone in her education — and newfound confidence in herself.
Management, regional leaders and the restaurant's owner-operators joined Thompson's family and friends in applauding her earning her high school diploma Thursday afternoon — and encouraged Thompson to keep the momentum going.
Thompson wore a cap and gown and briefly marched across the dining room to a recording of "Pomp and Circumstance" while late-lunchers and the after-school crowd looked on. It was believed to be the first graduation ceremony at the Kelso franchise.
There may have been others to earn diplomas through the company's "Archways to Opportunity" education program, however. Val Hadwin, the store's owner-operator, indicated that there have been other workers who have graduated through the program offering online classes at no cost to McDonald's employees, but Hadwin did not say more to respect their privacy.
Thompson agreed to share her graduation story to encourage others to take advantage of the program.
"I am very glad I took that leap and finished," Thompson said.
Thompson said she was sitting in the break room last year when she saw the flyer that put her on the path to success.
The Archways to Opportunity program has multiple tracks for employees in good standing to better themselves. According to information provided by a company spokesperson, there are — in addition to the online high school program — programs available to help non-native English speakers improve their language skills, free help from academic advisors for everything from transferring credits to making career plans and tuition assistance programs helping workers earn a college degree.
Roughly 115 employees of McDonald's franchisees across Southwest Washington have participated in the program since it began in 2015, according to the company. And the company has provided more than $240,000 in tuition assistance.
According to a company spokesperson, other recent local graduates have included an employee in Camas who earned her diploma through the program last spring and later went on to take advantage of English language programs offered through the company.
Nationwide, more than 2,200 participants have earned their high school diplomas through the company's Archways to Opportunity program.
Thompson said she found the high school program to be "relatively easy." She was grateful there were coaches and advisors available, but she did not need them.
The Archways to Opportunity program partners with an accredited online school, Career Online High School, and provides a flexible curriculum geared toward working adults.
Enrolled employees have up to 18 months to complete the program once they start, but most finish between 12 and 14 months, according to McDonald's.
Thompson enrolled in December and completed her last exam — a test as part of a health and fitness module — on Oct. 7. She paid nothing out of pocket, and she said she was grateful she could take the classes at her own pace.
Thompson said she had dropped out of high school when she was living in Portland, during a time she described as a "dark area" of her life.
She is not the only adult in Cowlitz County without a high school degree. The Washington State Office of Financial Management reports only 83-91% of county residents 25 and older had graduated from high school between 2018 and 2022.
Thompson has long had family and other supporters in her corner who wanted her to see her earn her diploma and succeed, but reaching the goal was a struggle until she found the program with McDonald's. Her mom, Ann Thompson, was right by her side to celebrate the achievement.
"I always lost the motivation to continue until I came here," Nikki Thompson said. "I feel a whole lot better about myself now that I have it."
Thompson has worked at the Kelso McDonald's for roughly two years, and she started finding more confidence on the job as she rose up the ranks from crew member to crew trainer at the restaurant.
When asked if she wants to keep growing at the company, potentially moving up to supervisor or management positions, Thompson said, "I would hope so."
"They do care about their employees," Thompson said. "They treat people like a family here."
For more info about the Archways program, see archwaystoopportunity.com.
