Devin Blanton bounced between schools near the homes of his divorced parents in Florida and Maryland. By his junior year of high school, he dropped out.

“High school just wasn’t working out,” the 17-year-old said. “I didn’t really care too much about life.”

But Devin, who now lives in New Windsor, made a turn-around at the Adult Learning Connection, a program Carroll County Public schools offers to adults ages 16 and older.

After about a month of daily classes, Devin passed his General Equivalency Diploma exam and now is headed to the Universal Technical Institute, where he will study automotive and diesel technology.

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The Adult Learning Connection, with about 21 teachers, has provided free education to almost 800 Marylanders a year since 1980. The program receives funding from the local, state and federal governments. Some students, such as Devin, strive to earn their GED, but others want to enrich their education. For example, this year almost 350 students have signed up to learn English.

“We are helping folks to be independent, giving them the skills they need to be successfully employed and proactive citizens,” said Andrea Neilson, intake assessment specialist for the program.

Manchester resident Ashley Blake, 17, used the program to get into college because, as a home-schooled student, she had no diploma.

mmcilroy@baltimoreexaminer.com