CODY — Students at Eastside Elementary School in Cody recently explored the world of veterinary medicine during a Career Connections visit from a veterinary technician at Lifetime Small Animal Hospital.

Students learned about careers in the veterinary field, highlighting the education, skills, and compassion required to care for animals. Students also learned about the daily responsibilities of a vet tech, the importance of teamwork in animal hospitals, and the variety of opportunities within the profession. Students enjoyed passing around veterinarian tools, canine skull models and some preserved specimen jars from surgery removal.

Students then rotated through four hands-on skill stations, practicing CPR on a cat model including an ambu bag for giving oxygen, learning blood draw procedure, exploring canine and feline anatomy, and checking in a pet patient that included questions to ask for common pet illnesses/injuries.

“Our goal with Career Connections is to give students meaningful, real-world exposure to a variety of professions,” said Principal Joseff Smith. “Experiences like this help students see what’s possible for their future.”

Career Connections is an ongoing initiative at Eastside Elementary designed to introduce students to diverse career pathways through guest speakers and hands-on experiences.