Keewaytinook Internet High School (KiHS) is celebrating a record number of graduates, including a surge in adult learners.

According to staff at the Keewaytinook Okimakanak Board of Education (KOBE), the next step is to reach more northern Ontario communities and attract more adult learners.

“10 years down the road, maybe we’re looking at 35 or 40 communities rather than the 18-20 that we serve right now,” said Patrick Stoddart, KOBE Director of Education. “We would also like to expand to offer dual credits, so students would get post-secondary credits to get advanced standings into some programs, whether its university or college.”

Stoddart says the increased flexibility of online programming has helped draw in more adult learners.

“It’s daunting for adults to return to high school, even at the best of times,” Stoddart said. “What we’ve done is we’ve extended the flexibility of our programs to include the evenings and the weekends so that those with full-time jobs or childcare requirements could pick away at their credits and get their diploma.”

A total of 63 students graduated from KiHS this year, 18 of whom were adults.

“The age range for our graduates this year was 17 to 57,” said Laura Blair, KOBE Enrollment Supervisor. “We had band counsellors in communities who came to finish high school. We had parents who were able to graduate with their kids. It’s a really emotional day for our students. We got to see them walk across the stage in their own communities in our online celebration.”

On May 21, 2026 KiHS graduates were honoured with a virtual ceremony that featured live streams from each community, allowing guests to watch students cross the stage, receive their diplomas, and take part in the cap toss. The celebration concluded with community feasts held in each participating First Nation.