"The BIA operated the school until 1948, and then the territory of Alaska operated it until statehood, when the state of Alaska took over jurisdiction," Yeaton said. "In 1965, the educational functions for K-10 were transferred to the Kenai Peninsula Borough."

With no classes offered beyond the 10th grade, high school juniors and seniors had to attend schools outside of the village, some of them attending Mt. Edgecumbe near Sitka, as well as facilities out of state.

Photo provided Kyle Lestenkof

In fact, she's one that did. Leaving her childhood home in Port Graham, Yeaton completed her high school education in Ninilchik in 1974. Her home-away-from-home was with the Elmer Banta family.

Yeaton's daughter also left the village, graduating from high school in Soldotna. Her son, LT, did not find the transition so easy.

"He wrote a really nice note to the boarding home parents, thanking them for taking him in, but telling he just couldn't transition and it was time for him to go home, so he just packed up his bags and left," Yeaton said. "It was devastating at the time it happened, but it's funny now that I think about it."

Photo provided Kristan Norman

"We're very, very excited," Yeaton said of Port Graham's graduating class. "This is an historical event for Port Graham."

Paul Story, an itinerant counselor for the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District, is among those Yeaton credits for helping the students successfully complete all 12 years of school.

"He had just been a phenomenal help with our students here in the village," Yeaton said, adding a personal note, "He was a great help for my son."

Photo provided Lawrence "LT" Yeaton

"This hasn't been done before," he said. "I'm very proud of them. They've had limited choices in terms of classes available. They've done quite a bit of instruction distance delivery. That's a challenging format. It takes a lot of self-discipline and the Internet connection's not the fastest, but they've hung in there and are going to get diplomas."

Not ready to stop with the completion of the 12th grade, all five graduates have their eyes set on future training. Anahonak has plans to attend University of Alaska Anchorage and pursue a career as a physician. After attending Job Corps in Palmer, Lestenkof wants to pursue a career as a heavy equipment operator. Norman sees continued study at Kenai Peninsula College- University of Alaska Anchorage as a step toward a career as a process technician in oil and gas operations. Yeaton's son is pursuing a career on the North Slope. Miller, who completed his high school courses in December but is returning to Port Graham to graduate with his classmates, has already been attending the University of Alaska Anchorage.

Photo provided William Miller

McKibben Jackinsky can be reached at mckibbenjackinsky.@homernews.com.