Inspire Connections Academy graduates 229, with many from Kootenai County

Inspire Connections Academy honored 229 graduates at the Morrison Center in Boise on May 29, with 150 seniors taking part in the ceremony. The class included a sizable Kootenai County contingent from Hayden, Coeur d'Alene, Post Falls, Spirit Lake and Dalton Gardens.

Among the local graduates recognized were Amelia Buchanan, Shaelyn Corker, Brooke Dale, Jaurie Depasquale, Joshua Dilday, Serenity Edwards, Cameron Epstein, Hannah Epstein, Keegan Erickson, Kyle Griffitts, Caden Lane, Rylie Mettler, Hailey Radford, Madison Scholler and Brooke Williams. Corker, of Coeur d'Alene, served as the student speaker, and faculty speaker Beth Sampson also addressed the class.

The ceremony reflected a larger online-school story playing out in North Idaho families that have chosen a statewide public option outside the traditional brick-and-mortar path. Inspire Connections Academy is a tuition-free, full-time online public school for Idaho students in kindergarten through 12th grade, and school leader Kenny McAlister said the graduating class showed what is possible when students have flexible learning options and strong support systems.

That flexibility came through in the class’s next steps. Inspire said 34% of graduates plan to attend a two-year or four-year college, 23% are headed to vocational training, 14% plan to enter the workforce and 6% plan to join the military or take a gap year. The class also earned more than $1.5 million in scholarships and awards.

For some students, the online model fit work and training schedules that would have been harder to manage in a traditional school day. Yasmin Barriga of Shoshone said the flexibility allowed her to work, complete CNA training and stay on track academically.

The school has served Idaho students since 2005 and marked its 20th anniversary in 2025. Inspire also says its online program includes dual-enrollment, credit-earning internships, work-based learning and career pathways in IT, business, health sciences and marketing, all aimed at college and career readiness. The Idaho Public Charter School Commission lists the school as a virtual alternative program in Boise with a charter performance certificate covering 2023 through 2028.

This year’s ceremony was larger than Inspire’s 2025 graduation at the same venue, when 160 students graduated at the Morrison Center. The jump in class size, along with the names of students from Hayden, Coeur d'Alene, Post Falls, Spirit Lake and Dalton Gardens, shows how deeply the online school model has taken hold across Kootenai County and beyond.