ROCK SPRINGS — Gov. Mark Gordon spoke to members of the Rock Springs Chamber of Commerce Wednesday afternoon, speaking to the importance of education and technology in Wyoming’s future. 

Gordon spoke favorably about what the two Sweetwater County school districts were doing, saying students always benefit when someone has a great idea. Gordon said that during his time as a school board member in Johnson County, he was once asked why Wyoming didn’t teach science better in fourth grade and why students didn’t seem interested in science. Gordon recalled a story about being on his family’s ranch when he was younger and his father had about 200 chickens to butcher. He said kids at the ranch would ask about different organs and body parts they saw, taking an interest in what they were looking at, even if they were grossed out. Gordon said the state didn’t meet children’s curiosity and help guide them at that time.

Gordon is pleased to see how the districts have been addressing curiosity, mentioning an initiative launched in a Green River High School class that led to the proclamation of Nellie Tayloe Ross Day, as well as a similar initiative in Cheyenne that led to the creation of Wyoming Wednesday. Wyoming Wednesday encourages residents to wear University of Wyoming colors every Wednesday.

Gordon wants Wyoming’s education system to give students the skills to evolve with changing work requirements. Gordon spoke about how much has changed for people employed in welding and coal mining – saying people in every industry have had to change how they do their jobs even recently.

“Anybody who works in virtually any industry, you tell me that you’re still doing the same thing you were five months ago, five years ago, 10 years ago,” Gordon said. “So as we think about Wyoming’s future, we can’t afford to get stuck on the same old recipes that come out of the past.”

Gordon said the state can’t let any of its schools go and admitted it will be expensive to keep them running. Gordon said residents of southwestern Wyoming also are aware the state is at a “really interesting pivot point.”

Gordon said the state’s residents have a choice between living out their final years by settling in and ensuring people don’t pay too many taxes. He said that was the direction Florida already took and Gordon said a friend of his told him people don’t go to Florida to live – they want to die there and not be buried there. However, he said there are places like southwest Wyoming where people have the right attitudes about how families should be raised and admits while residents do have arguments, they can band together to grow Wyoming.

“The state I grew up in, this state, was full of people who thought about what the future could look like and how they were going to get there,” Gordon said. 

Gordon said southwest Wyoming has the potential for “unparalleled demand” in electrical growth, and growth in tourism that it can answer better than other states. Gordon discussed how the area is answering the demand for electricity through the Natrium nuclear power plant in Kemmerer, increased focus on coal, and said there is room for some renewables as well. He said it’s important for Wyoming to get the power generation balance correct, along with demand from new data centers and manufacturing.

“And believe me, it all starts right here, in this part of our state,” Gordon said.