Kane County School District is expanding student opportunities through new certification programs following the receipt of a $484,854 grant, according to an October 15 report.
The district was selected as one of twelve recipients of funding from the Utah State Board of Education under the Utah Legislature's Catalyst Center initiative. This follows a competitive application process involving school districts and charter schools across Utah in February 2026.
The grant will fund the development of three new certification programs: Wildland Firefighting, Pharmacy Technician, and Electrical.
In August 2026, the district launched its first Wildland Fire courses. This specific program is supported by partnerships with the U.S. Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), and local agencies throughout Southern Utah. Instructors contributing expertise to the program include James Swapp, Mike Espinoza, Justin Perkins of the U.S. Wildland Fire Service, and Lisa Church of the BLM.
Currently, 15 students from Kanab High School and five students from Valley High School are enrolled in the new courses. Upon completion, students will hold the certifications required for immediate employment in wildland fire response and will build a USA.gov portfolio.
