Like some high school students, Andrew Williams of Pawcatuck, felt that the typical high school setting wasn’t right for him.

He and a friend were busy making money by doing something they love — working on cars and engines as part of a small business they had started. And he didn’t understand how taking Spanish was going to help him further his career.

“I’ve always been interested in making things go faster. When I started making some side money I knew that’s what I wanted to do,” he said.

“But high school never really worked out for me. I was never really interested. I didn’t think I needed Spanish to do what I wanted to do. It seemed like I was wasting time.”

So the 18-year-old senior at Stonington High School decided to leave the high school late last year. But he also knew he needed his high school diploma if he wanted to further his education and become a diesel mechanic.

He enrolled in the Stonington Adult Education program to get his high school diploma. That freed him up to work during the day. At night he took the courses he needed for his diploma. He completed his work and last week was the guest speaker at the annual adult education graduation.

In September he will enroll in a 1 1/2-year long program at Lincoln Technical Institute to become a certified diesel mechanic.

Williams said he enjoyed the one-on-one help he got in the adult education program along with the small class sizes with less distractions.

“It was a lot easier to focus on your work without all the drama of high school,” he said. “If this program didn’t exist I probably wouldn’t be going to Lincoln Tech this fall.”

“And now I’m graduating earlier than I would have,” he said.

The Stonington High School graduation is not until June 18.

In addition to Williams, the other high school diploma graduates are Aaron J. Gooden, Donald E. Jarvis, Che Francis Santiago, Nicholas C. Schafer and Tiffany Franchesca Teff.

Williams may also possibly be the speaker at the program’s last graduation.

That’s because earlier this year the school board supported a recommendation by Superintendent of Schools Van Riley to eliminate the adult ed program after 25 years, as a way to cut $72,000 after the Board of Finance cut the proposed 2015-16 school budget by $800,000. Students in the adult ed program’s various programs will now have to seek them out in surrounding towns.

Over the years, those graduating from the program have ranged from teens, such as Williams, to new immigrants and middle aged students who realized they needed to return to school and earn their diplomas if they wanted to further their careers.

Last year a 46-year-old mother and her 22-year-old son both earned their diplomas. Typically between six and 10 students earn their diplomas from the program each year.

Although there are discussions about someday bringing back the diploma program back to Stonington, there will be no high school diploma program or graduation next year.

j.wojtas@theday.com

@joewojtas