BELFAST, Maine — The staff of the College Connection announced that Adrienne LeBlanc has received a $500 scholarship from the Maine Adult Education Association.

The scholarship is intended for students who have completed their high school diploma or GED at an adult education program. LeBlanc earned the final credits she needed for her high school diploma at RSU 20 Adult Education in 2004. When she decided to prepare for college, she came back to adult education for help.

LeBlanc successfully completed the College Connection program in May. Despite the challenges of being a single mother of three young children, she put tremendous effort into all of her work, had excellent attendance and came away from the program well prepared to start college this fall.

She plans to study accounting and will be taking classes at the University of Maine Augusta Bangor campus and the Hutchinson Center. When asked if she would mind if we submitted this story, she replied, “I don’t mind at all if you want to put it in the paper. I am very proud of myself for taking this step in my life. Let’s share it with the world or Waldo County anyways!”

The College Connection is an academically intense, highly effective, college preparation program. It is designed to help nontraditional adult students refresh their English and math skills, build self-confidence and learn what is necessary to succeed in college. The program also provides assistance with all aspects of the college enrollment process, including Accuplacer testing, financial aid and college application paperwork, college and career counseling, college tours, scholarship searches, and more.

The College Connection is currently recruiting for its fall semester which starts on Monday, Sept. 10. The program is free; however, students are responsible for purchasing the books needed for their courses. Contact Carolyn Haskell at 207-338-3197 for more information or to schedule an intake appointment.