 With a shortage of first responders across the state, Park Rapids High School is offering a new program to its students. Josh Peterson shows us how hands-on learning and real-life stories are training future first responders. Park Rapids High School had a few visitors who decided to drop in. Emergency personnel from the North Memorial Level 1 Trauma Center flew in to share first-hand experience and answer questions from students who are part of a one-of-a-kind pilot program that helps train and certify future first responders. Kind of a shortage of EMS workers in ambulance services and other areas, but also volunteers. First responder volunteers here in the community, and in a lot of communities it's just kind of going downhill, and we'd like to see some more people get involved. For our new program, the response and the level of interest from students has already impressed staff members. I guess I'm pretty impressed with how engaged they are, and the questions they're asking, they're very good questions. Even if students decide not to go into the medical field, the class has still provided them with important skills and knowledge. And worst possible scenario, we're going to have 22 kids that are going to walk away from this class that until the day they die, if something happens near them, they will know what to do. For the students, it's a chance to learn hands-on and hear stories from those who work in the career field. They really like the stories or the real life things that we can bring to the events that we've experienced and can bring to them and tell them how this is what applies here. With the class wrapping up for the year, plans to offer the course again and expand the program are already in the works. The hope is that other schools will use Park Rapids as an example. I hope that there's other schools out there looking at us and wow, that's pretty cool to be able to bring professionals from your community into your classrooms and help work with teaching the class. As students watched from a distance, they said goodbye to the medical team, who hopes their stories and their visit leave a lasting legacy. In Park Rapids, Josh Peterson, Lakeland News. Students who pass the course will officially be recognized and certified as first responders through the state of Minnesota. If you've enjoyed this segment of Lakeland News, please consider making a tax-deductible contribution to Lakeland Public Television.