Park County School District 6 recently opened a groundbreaking Classroom 2 Careers initiative and active learning space at Eastside Elementary School called Career Connections.

This real world learning project aligns with Gov. Mark Gordon’s Reimagining and Innovating the Delivery of Education (RIDE) initiative, emphasizing student-centered learning and real-world career exploration.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony, held on April 16, 2025, brought together educators, students, parents, and community leaders to celebrate this significant milestone in educational innovation.

The new active learning space is designed to foster collaboration, creativity, and hands-on experiences, providing students with opportunities to engage in project-based learning that connects classroom instruction to future career pathways.

“This Classroom 2 Careers program aligns perfectly with our purpose in Park 6, to prepare scholars to chart their own course through learning experiences that equip them with the knowledge, skills, and resilience to discover their own unique path to success,” Principal Joseff Smith said. “This initiative will undoubtedly open doors to a world of possibilities for our scholars as we blend Wyoming State Learning Standards into real-world learning opportunities alongside community partners and business leaders."

Throughout this school year, Eastside has partnered with a host of community businesses through the Career Connections program, including Cody Regional Health, Ardurra Engineering, Lifetime Animal Hospital, Park County Animal Shelter, Wyo Dough, Cody Police Department, Park County Fire District 2 and more. Experts from each career field led an engaging, hands-on presentation to an entire grade level. Then, those experts joined a Park 6 certified teacher to lead small group hands-on activities that connect to Wyoming state learning standards.

“There’s a big difference between a high school graduate who says, ‘I want to be an optometrist after high school,’ and one that says, ‘I have no idea...maybe health care, maybe education, maybe military,’ Smith said.

“Career Connections will provide students with a wide range of real world career exploration opportunities while in elementary school. Later, at Cody Middle School and Cody High School, students will narrow their focus to more specific interests through internships. By the time they graduate, students should have a better understanding of what their own unique path to success will look like.”

PCSD 6 is a pioneer district participating in Gov. Gordon’s RIDE Initiative.

For more information about this Classroom 2 Careers initiative and the new active learning space at Eastside Elementary, contact Smith by using Eastside Elementary’s staff directory at park6.org/o/eastside/staff.