After dropping out of Mountain Valley High School in Rumford as a junior, Duncan Cameron of Milton Township spent years unsure of what came next.

Unemployed and feeling depressed, Cameron said he struggled with alcohol abuse and heavy marijuana use, which he believes contributed to stomach problems and worsening mental health.

Now 27, Cameron is living at home again and rebuilding his life.

In January, he enrolled in HiSET, a state testing program that provides adults the chance to obtain a high school equivalency certification with the same legal standing as a high school diploma. The program covers language arts in reading and writing, math, science and social studies. It is offered locally through Maine School Administrative District 44 Adult and Community Education with classes held at Telstar High School in Bethel as needed.

Cameron quickly began passing exams with high scores. Out of 20 possible points, he earned an 18 in science, a 19 in social studies and 15s in reading and writing — several scores ranking as “college ready” or “honors.”

“He has blown through three other tests with honors and college-ready scores,” MSAD 44 Adult and Community Education Director Terry Childs said. “He has one test left and will be finished.”

Cameron first attempted the testing program in 2018 at age 19, earning one honors-level score before stepping away from the program for years.

This spring, he quit his job stocking shelves at Walmart to focus on studying. Math remains his final hurdle, and he planned to prepare with help from his sister, Lia Cameron, at what he called her “math boot camp.”

“I’d like to go to college or take a job course to go further in life,” Cameron said.

He has considered careers ranging from game development to pharmacy technician work, and medical insurance coding, though he worries his aging computer may limit his ability to pursue programming.

At his family’s home in Milton Township, Cameron and his mother, Sarah Cameron, sat outside in the warm sun April 23, surrounded by 17 hens in a nearby enclosure. They were housebound with their car in the repair shop.

“We’re just really proud of him,” Sarah Cameron said. “Finally he sees that he needs to do something with his life.”

Support from family has become a key part of Cameron’s progress. His parents, uncle and sister plan to attend his graduation. His mother said she plans to buy him a graduation gift of a Polaroid camera so he can photograph his young niece, Skye.

Growing up, Cameron’s father didn’t have a driver’s license. Cameron hopes to earn his for the first time, a milestone that would give him greater independence and make work and college more accessible. Donations supporting driver education programs for adult learners could help make that possible, Childs said.

Sarah mentioned that Cameron’s grandfather, David Marin, earned his diploma later in life, too, and went on to a long career at the Rumford power plant.

“Terry is very proud of me and is going to help me figure out what I want to do with my life,” Cameron said of Childs.

On April 28, Cameron sent an email: “I just wanted to let you know that I passed my last test today and I’m graduating in June.”

Terry Childs

Like Cameron, most of Childs’ students are in their 20s. Four will graduate in June and another nine are in the program. She meets individually with each one to set goals. The time needed to complete the program depends on each person’s commitment and availability.

“They are not high school students anymore,” Childs said. “They are adults with children and commitments and work. They have houses to take care of and bills and doctors.”

She sends weekly emails encouraging students to, “Keep going, keep going. You are almost there.”

Childs became director in July 2025 after assisting the former director since 2022.

Before graduating, students also learn how to write resumes, secure references and prepare for job interviews.

Classes through HiSET, which stands for High School Equivalency Test, are free to Maine residents. Childs said the program’s strength comes from building personal relationships with students and accommodating schedules, including meeting at times that work best for them.

She said she is not entirely clear why enrollment declined in the early 2000s. Before then, when Cathy Newell was directing, records indicate a robust program. The expansion of online college courses and the COVID-19 pandemic likely contributed to the decline in the numbers of students, Childs said. She added that the recent increase in enrollment may reflect lower earning potential for people without a degree, too.

Until recently, the program graduated only one student a year, so formal ceremonies were uncommon.

Festive blue fringe decorating a sign by Childs’ office reads, “Congrats Grad, this could be you, 2026”.

Cameron sent an email saying graduation will be June 17.