CODY — Eastside Elementary School students in Cody had a unique chance to learn some skills from Park County Search and Rescue — bringing an idea first hatched last spring full circle.

Last year, Eastside Elementary School Principal Joe Smith attended one of Park County Search and Rescue’s (PCSAR) Backcountry Readiness classes and was inspired by the incredible work the organization does — and the wide range of skills their volunteers must master in their roles.

“While participating in the class, I couldn’t help but think of the students at Eastside. It struck me what an incredible learning opportunity it would be for them to gain some of these same skills and resilience for life that are so well represented within PCSAR,” Smith said. “After all, what organization better represents Wyoming than Park County Search and Rescue and the work they do?”

Learning these skills could potentially save their lives, lead to a career or help encourage an active lifestyle, he added. 

Following that class, Smith met with the day’s instructor and a PCSAR board member to share his idea for a “Youth Readiness Series” in partnership with Eastside’s fifth grade team and students. 

The idea was met with enthusiasm, and within a week, representatives from PCSAR visited Eastside to begin planning. Over the summer, the fifth grade team collaborated closely with PCSAR instructor Gigi Budd to design the inaugural Youth Readiness Series, which launched Friday.

This new initiative will give students hands-on, real world learning experiences that build problem-solving, teamwork, communication and practical outdoor readiness skills — all directly aligned with Wyoming State Learning Standards, and Gov. Mark Gordon's RIDE initiative which aims to reimagine education in Wyoming. 

“This is what we do, what we are good at. We in Park 6 schools prepare scholars to chart their own course through learning experiences that equip them with the knowledge, skills and resilience to discover their unique path to success,” said Smith. “At Eastside, we achieve this through high-quality teaching and learning each day, and by collaborating with community leaders and organizations to blend classroom standards with real-world applications. PCSAR is a perfect partner in this mission.”

Through this partnership, students will learn from real search and rescue volunteers about navigation, communication, emergency preparedness, teamwork and the importance of community service — all while developing confidence and a deep appreciation for the Wyoming outdoors. Classroom teachers at Eastside will then connect the Wyoming state standards to these learning experiences through researching, presenting, producing podcasts and writing informational text. 

“The future of Wyoming is passing through our halls, and community partners like Park County Search and Rescue help us share the skills and resilience for life that go far beyond textbooks,” said Smith. “We are deeply grateful to Gigi Budd, Bill Brown, and the PCSAR Team for their time, expertise, and commitment to our students and community.”