18 Feb A Second Chance

A Second Chance with Basic Skills

Traditional high school didn’t work out for Devin Roth. Neither did his family’s attempt at home-schooling.  After relocating from Connecticut to North Carolina and battling frequent periods of illness, Devin found himself in the difficult position of falling behind in his schoolwork and lacking support from his teachers. Frustrated with the situation, he dropped out of high school. Devin tried a semester of homeschooling, but was not engaged.  Then a close friend recommended the Basic Skills Department at Carteret Community College. “I didn’t have high hopes and was just looking for a means to an end,” Devin recounts. “But I trusted my friend and took his advice.”

Devin enrolled in the College’s Adult High School program and found the support and encouragement he needed to earn his high school diploma. “The instructors invested time in the students,” said Devin. “Whether that was talking to them about personal problems or helping students process and understand the school material. They also established a fair atmosphere and respect for rules. I didn’t feel like I was being treated like a child. I felt respected, which strengthened my respect for them.”

Devin says the most impactful lesson he learned was not to fear failure. His life had already been full of failures, but the program taught him how to get back up, how to learn from and use past experiences to move forward. “There was a time I didn’t care about my future or the value of an education,” said Devin. “But through the program I rediscovered the drive and ambition I had lost.”

In December 2015, Devin received his Adult High School diploma. Shortly after, he enrolled at Carteret Community College where he continued to apply the lessons learned in the program to push himself forward. In May 2018, Devin graduated with his Associate in Arts degree and transferred to North Carolina State University, a feat he never thought possible.

“The Adult High School program at Carteret Community College gives people a second chance,” Devin said. “It gave me a second chance, and I plan to make the absolute most of it.”

In December 2021, Devin graduated from North Carolina State University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science. His sights are now set on a master’s degree in public policy or law. We think it’s fair to say that Devin continues to seize his second chance.

To learn more about the Basic Skills program at Carteret Community College visit www.carteret.edu/basicskills or call (252) 222-6195.