A total of 37 students have officially graduated from the School Within a College (SWAC) program following the completion of the 2025-2026 school year. The alternative education program, which runs in partnership with Loyalist College, wrapped up both semesters with a 100 percent credit completion rate across the entire cohort.
Seventeen students graduated from the first semester, and 20 completed their requirements in the second semester. The winter cohort also included three returning students who came back to SWAC for a second semester and graduated with the second semester students.
The graduation ceremonies for both semesters featured student speakers from Central Hastings School, who reflected on their experiences and transitions into the college environment. Serena Ferrill addressed the graduates at the Semester 1 ceremony, while Zachary Moak spoke on behalf of the Semester 2 class.
While enrolled in SWAC, students participated in the Dual Credit program, which grants secondary and post-secondary credits simultaneously. Every graduate completed a foundational health course, either Wellness or Physical Health and Fitness. Some students chose to take a second dual credit course tailored to their career interests.
Dual credit offerings this year spanned several technical fields and social services, including:
- Automotive
- Childhood Development
- Children’s Literature
- Electrical
-
Fun and Games
- Machine Maintenance
The academic coursework was paired with hands-on experiential learning and transition programming. Both semester cohorts traveled to the Frink Centre for outdoor education and completed a four-day personal finance program designed for young adults. Additional life-skills workshops throughout the year focused on sleep hygiene, gratitude, grocery shopping and preparing to live independently.
With their secondary diplomas complete and college credits accumulated, the 37 graduates are now moving into various post-secondary pathways. A number of the graduates will attend full-time programs at Loyalist College and other post-secondary institutions. Others have committed to local apprenticeships, enlisted in the military, or will be entering the workforce with plans to begin their college programs in January.