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NEWS RELEASE
May 8, 2025
CONTACTS:
Michael Pearlman, Communications Director
Janelle Collins, Strategic Communications Director
Governor Gordon Visits Schools and College to See Firsthand the Impact of Education and Innovations
CHEYENNE, Wyo. – Governor Mark Gordon visited schools and Northwest Community College in Park County and Moorcroft schools in Northeast Wyoming this week to observe the results of several key education and workforce initiatives aimed at preparing students for success in school, careers and life.
The Governor’s first stop was Powell’s Parkside Elementary School, recently named one of the 2024 National Blue Ribbon Schools. This prestigious recognition honors schools for exemplary academic achievement and significant progress in closing achievement gaps.
After visiting with Parkside fifth grade students, the Governor met with seventh grade teachers at Powell Middle School who are taking part in the Governor’s RIDE initiative. The Governor also visited a class participating in Trout in the Classroom, a Wyoming Game and Fish educational program that allows teachers and students to raise trout from eggs to fingerlings in their classroom.
The Governor presented summer reading awards to students at Southside Elementary in Powell, who won the 2024 Governor’s Reading Challenge, a program that recognizes schools for participation and the number of books read. Each of the 111 participants read over 2,000 minutes over the summer. The Governor’s Powell tour concluded with a visit to Powell High School, where he met with members of the award-winning robotics team and toured the school’s student-centered art displays. The projects showcased a blend of creative technical skills, including electrical wiring and taxidermy
“I thank Park County School District #1 for their hospitality, and for demonstrating why there’s so much to celebrate in Wyoming schools,” Governor Gordon said. “The enthusiasm of our educators and their willingness to support new approaches is driving meaningful change for students.”
The Governor finished the day at Northwest College, where he visited the newly completed Student Center, ate lunch with students and visited the new outdoor education lab, home of the NWC Outdoor Education program with an academic lab, climbing wall and classrooms. The lab will be used as part of the school’s Outdoor Recreation and Leadership degree program, created in partnership with Governor Gordon’s WIP initiative, with a goal of developing leaders in the region’s tourism industry, The visit concluded with a tour of Northwest College’s Center for Training Development, which is utilizing the former Wyoming National Guard Armory in Powell for programs including CDL training.
“It’s rewarding to see the on-the-ground results of the investments we have been making to advance these in-demand workforce development programs that drive Wyoming’s economy,” Governor Gordon said. “That includes more CDL drivers, and graduates prepared for leadership roles in the tourism and hospitality sector.”
In Moorcroft, the Governor witnessed firsthand the power of innovation in education through the implementation of the evidenced-based school improvement BARR (Building Assets, Reducing Risks) model. This model brings education into the 21st century through stronger relationships and using a personalized, data-driven approach to ensure every student is supported to succeed. The BARR model not only advances academic achievement but also directly addresses concerns voiced by Wyoming communities during the RIDE listening sessions–especially around student engagement and support.
Now in its first year of implementation in six Wyoming schools, the approach is already showing promising results: drops in student absences, improved student engagement, and improved academic success.
“As we work to reimagine the future of education in Wyoming, it’s encouraging to see this kind of student-centered, forward-looking approach driving real gains in student success, said Governor Gordon. “It reflects exactly what schools and communities have been calling for.”
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