Project SEARCH is an immersive internship experience for high school students with mild and moderate special needs that combines classroom instruction, career exploration, and hands-on training through worksite rotations that often lead to employment opportunities.
On Aug. 1, 2021, the second group of interns, consisting of five students from area high schools, began their Project SEARCH journey at WVU Medicine J.W. Ruby Memorial Hospital.
Their journey culminated Wednesday morning with a celebration and small commencement ceremony attended by family, friends, and WVU medicine officials and coworkers.
“This year we’ve got five students that are graduating,” said Colleen Sybert, WVU Medicine VP of Human Resources and Project SEARCH executive sponsor. “Four of the five already have employment as a result, which is pretty awesome.”
The program grads experienced three different rotations with host departments throughout the school year, Sybert said, learning routine and systematic job skills and then building on those skills during the second and third rotations.
Wednesday’s graduates included Benjamin Chicchi from University High School in Morgantown, Justin Michael from North Marion High School, Garritt Neel from Grafton High School, and Lane Fox and Julianna “Jules” Heldreth, both from East Fairmont High School.
“It is really cool to see how far they’ve come from the day they came to the program until now,” said Nick Lafferty, Project SEARCH instructor.
“Coming in the door they didn’t know how to write a resume, didn’t know how to conduct themselves at interviews, they didn’t know how to work with coworkers or deal with any kind of arguments or disputes in the workplace or even how to ask for a day off from their supervisors – we covered all that,” he said.
Outside of Lafferty’s classroom, interns get a taste of the workload in different departments.
“Essentially they are doing the job duties of whatever they are expected to do in that department,” Lafferty said.
This year’s grads got the chance to work in departments like radiology, pharmacy, nutritional services, central transport, the gift shop, security, and facilities management.
WVU Medicine is the only host site for Project SEARCH in West Virginia and one of 669 host sites around the globe.
“It just helps to fulfill our mission,” Sybert said. “We’re here to serve the residents of the state of West Virginia and to give back to the community and to help these young adults who otherwise might have had barriers to employment.
“So we’re trying to break those barriers down,” she said. “And I think this year and last year have proven very successful.”
Sybert said the hope is that others see the successes of the program over the last two years at WVU Medicine and they can serve as a launching pad for future Project SEARCH sites here in West Virginia.
In the fall, the program will be doubling the number of interns to 10 students. Michael Grace, president of WVU Hospitals and Chief Administrative Officer of WVU Health Systems said he feels the program is very successful and the hospital now has 27 departments willing to host future interns.
One of the graduates, Julianna “Jules” Heldreth, spoke about her experience in the program.
“My experience in the past nine months has been wonderful. I have met so many nice people on the way,” said Heldreth, who was offered a full-time position at the Child Development Center during the third rotation.
“I already have a great paying full-time job with benefits and bright horizons at the Child Development Center. I enjoy going to work everyday,” she said. “I have wanted to work with children since I was in the third grade.”
“And there you have it, I have fulfilled my dream,” Heldreth said.
As part of the ceremony, West Virginia Department of Education State Superintendent of Schools, Clayton Burch spoke to the five graduates, stating they are graduating with 18,000 other students across the state, but their experience was different.
“Because you choose to take a full year to be part of the WVU Hospital community, I think your experience has been richer and I think you’re very very prepared to do whatever it is you want to do next,” he said.
Students interested in Project SEARCH must pass a skills assessment evaluation and be interviewed in addition to their application.
For more information about Project SEARCH or how to apply for fall 2023, email instructor Nick Lafferty at steven.lafferty@wvumedicine.org.
