Kootenai County grads honored at Inspire Connections Academy

Inspire Connections Academy celebrated the Class of 2026 during a commencement ceremony May 29 at the Morrison Center in Boise. 

Families, friends, faculty and staff gathered to recognize the 229 graduates, with 150 seniors participating in the ceremony to celebrate this important milestone.

Instead of walking through traditional school hallways each day, students at Inspire Connections Academy built connections and completed their coursework through online learning, a tuition-free online public school serving kindergarten through grade 12 students throughout Idaho.

Among this year’s graduates are students from Kootenai County, including Amelia Buchanan (Hayden), Shaelyn Corker (Coeur d'Alene), Brooke Dale (Post Falls), Jaurie Depasquale (Post Falls), Joshua Dilday (Spirit Lake), Serenity Edwards (Coeur d'Alene), Cameron Epstein (Dalton Gardens), Hannah Epstein (Dalton Gardens), Keegan Erickson (Post Falls), Kyle Griffitts (Coeur d'Alene), Caden Lane (Spirit Lake), Rylie Mettler (Post Falls), Hailey Radford (Coeur d'Alene), Madison Scholler (Post Falls) and Brooke Williams (Hayden).

The ceremony featured remarks from faculty speaker Beth Sampson and student speaker Shaelyn Corker of Coeur d'Alene. 

“Each graduating class that comes through our school reflects what’s possible when students are given a flexible learning option and strong support systems, and the Class of 2026 is no exception,” Inspire Connections Academy School Leader Kenny McAlister said. “Through college and career readiness options, dedicated advising and personalized learning pathways, these graduates have discovered their strengths and are well prepared for their next chapter. I look forward to seeing the impact they make in their local communities and beyond.”

Inspire Connections Academy’s graduating class has a wide variety of post-graduation plans. Among these plans, 34% plan to attend a two-year or four-year college. Additionally, 23% plan to pursue vocational training, 14% plan on entering the workforce, and 6% plan to join the military or take a gap year. 

The Class of 2026 collectively received more than $1.5 million in scholarships and awards.

Inspire Connections Academy prepares students for life after graduation through its established College and Career Readiness program. Available to middle and high school students, the program blends core academic coursework with industry-aligned, career-focused pathways, including IT, business, health sciences and marketing. 

“Being a student at Inspire Connections Academy taught me how to balance multiple responsibilities while still focusing on my future,” said 2026 graduate and Shoshone resident Yasmin Barriga. “The flexibility allowed me to work, complete my Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) program and stay on track with my coursework.”