At Koa, the Answer Is Yes!
One of the most common questions parents ask about online school is: “But will my child still make friends?”
At Koa Academy, we know the answer is yes,because we see it happen naturally.
We asked three Grade 12 students, Kezia, Ayla and Antonio, to answer one question: “What made it easy to form real friendships at Koa, even without a physical classroom?” Their experiences are living proof that a real connection doesn’t depend on sitting next to someone in a classroom. It’s about shared experiences, intentional spaces and consistent opportunities to really connect with one another.
Kezia’s Story: Friendship From Day One
Kezia has been part of Koa since its launch in 2021, and her friendship with Ayla has grown into something truly wholesome. “What really developed the bond between Ayla and I was being together at Koa since the very beginning,” Kezia explains. “When we first joined, there were fewer than 20 students, so we really saw a lot of each other from the get-go. She and I have just stuck together since the beginning and as a result, we have gone through our whole high school journey together.”
For Kezia, this friendship was built on shared experiences: celebrating wins, navigating high school challenges and simply being part of each other’s day-to-day lives. “It has always amazed me that Ayla and I were so close despite only meeting online. When we did meet in person for the first time, it felt normal to me so quickly and I think that is because of our existing closeness developed over the years,” Kezia shares.
Ayla’s Story: Engagement Makes Connection Possible
Ayla joined Koa at its start, too, and Antonio joined a year later. “A big reason why we’ve managed to stay so close throughout the years is the shared experience school creates,” Ayla says. “Staying in touch about the work we’re doing, upcoming tests and events, and just the general experience of going through high school from our homes, has drawn us closer together. Online school takes a lot of self-control and my friendships with Kez and Antonio add a level of accountability and community that makes it easier.”
Ayla credits Koa’s commitment to engagement with making these connections possible. “If Kez and Antonio had only been names on a screen, like a lot of online spaces, our friendship would’ve been almost impossible. Seeing them every day as real people, laughing, talking, moving on my screen, made the connection possible.”
Antonio’s Story: Friendships That Translate Offline
Antonio found friendship through Koa’s Pods, Workshops, and Study Sessions. “Koa makes it easy to form real friendships because of its strong focus on high engagement,” he says. “Those sessions gave me opportunities to chat with Ayla and Kezia and I realised we shared similar interests and a similar work ethic. When we met in person for the first time, it was clear we were more than just friends behind a screen.”
How Koa Makes It Happen
Friendship doesn’t happen by accident, especially online. At Koa, we’ve built intentional spaces and rhythms to make connection natural.
- Small Pods: Every learner is part of a Pod (groups of 8 students) with a teacher who knows them well, creating space for real relationships and high accountability.
- Regular Connection: From Pod Connect to Workshops, Check-ins and Clubs, students see each other multiple times throughout the week – not just as “faces on a screen,” but as peers they get to know.
- Safe Online Spaces: Using Google Chat and Meet, students interact in structured, healthy environments designed for collaboration and conversation.
- In-Person Events: Every term, we host socials and educational outings in major cities, where students and families connect face-to-face.
And those in-person meetups? They’re not your standard school gatherings. Students have gone art jamming, laser tagging and ziplining. They’ve explored museums, dissected sharks and even conducted experiments at the Cape Town Science Centre. Together, they’ve built a vibrant culture of connection that extends far beyond the screen.
More Than Just Friendship
These intentional connections go beyond friendship; they create community. In a world where online spaces would otherwise feel isolating, Koa students experience daily interaction, shared accountability and real connection. For Ayla, Kezia and Antonio, this community has been transformative. It’s given them a network of people to turn to for guidance, support and encouragement. It’s helped them build resilience and confidence and has shown them that physical classrooms aren’t the only place where friendships thrive.
Proof That Connection Doesn’t Depend on a Classroom
Kezia, Ayla and Antonio’s friendship wasn’t built on proximity; they were built on shared learning, laughter, teamwork, and regular check-ins. Those bonds naturally translated offline. Koa Academy proves that online learning doesn’t have to mean learning alone. With intentional design, high engagement and a commitment to connection, our students don’t just find classmates – they find lifelong friends.
Keen to see what parents at Koa have to say? Visit Koa’s testimonial page.
Who knows – you might just find yourself feeling this way about your child’s schooling, too.
Visit www.koaacademy.com to learn more.
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