Parent Teacher Magazine Union County Public Schools May/June 2017 | Page 9

High School seniors find their futures through Project Search
“Preparing all students to succeed” isn’t just
sterilization processes and resume preparation.
Union County Public Schools’ motto; it’s a rally
Ort said she has enjoyed seeing how much
call for educators.
the students have grown. “Just to see that
One example of meeting all students’ needs:
growth and how excited they are, it’s just a joy
providing students with significant disabilities
to come to work.”
the training and skills necessary to enter the
InReach job coach Wukari Hathaway has
workforce after high school graduation.
been working with students throughout the year.
“For so long in Union County, there has
“The different job skills that they’ve learned in
not been anything after high school to assist
dietary, for example, are such things as food
students, who have significant disabilities,
preparation. In environmental services they get
with employment,” said Linda Little, a UCPS
the rooms in the operating room cleaned and
Exceptional Children’s transition specialist.
prepped for surgery. There is also clerical work
A brand new program called Project Search,
in each department.”
however, is making great leaps in meeting the
High school senior Chase Bost interned in the
post high school needs faced by many special
dietary department during his second internship.
needs students. The program, a partnership
“Making cookies is the bomb. I’m enjoying
between UCPS, Carolinas HealthCare System –
it,” he said. “I want to be a chef. I most like
Union, InReach and Vocational Rehabilitation,
making cookies. My favorite is sugar cookies. I
places stude nts in internships for three 10-week
also make sandwiches and salads.”
periods in a yearlong high school class.
High school senior Alex Rotar’s first
“Project Search provides the avenue for
internship was in the gift shop, while his second
them to have that intensive training in a
was in patient rehabilitation. Part of both jobs
vocational setting,” Little said. “It also gives them
included some type of clerical work.
High school senior Chase Bost wraps
transferable skills that can be utilized in other
“I like the paperwork the best,” Alex said.
cookies while interning in the dietary
places other than a hospital.”
“I
worked
in the gift shop before Rehab. I did
department at Carolina Health Care
Superintendent Dr. Andrew Houlihan said the Systems.
barcodes and pricing, greeting people, and paper
goal of the program is for students to come out
work.”
of the class ready to be hired. “It is a tremendous program. When
Alex did such a good job in Rehab, that some patients gave him
we talk about college and career readiness for all of our kids, this is a gifts when they left. Gina Young, an outpatient coordinator, said Alex
great example of what is being done by our team.”
would be missed when he transitioned to another internship.
Michael Lutes, president of Carolina Health Care Systems, said
“He’s a hard worker and is very serious about getting his job
UCPS approached the hospital about two years ago with the idea.
done,” Young said. “One day we were trying to get him to go to
“We’re here to give them opportunities, a chance to shine, but it’s lunch and he said, ‘They’ll be down there when I get down there.’
also rewarding to see them shine,” Lutes said. “We knew it was going He wanted to finish his job. He wants to learn more and he wants to
to be different and we were excited about it, but the passion that all
help people. The one thing we have to do is slow him down.”
of the students have is just amazing.”
“The students take pride in their work,” Little said. “They really
“Our job was to provide them with a classroom and an
enjoy it. They hate when they have to miss a day. They love being
internship,” said Holli Breeden, the hospital’s manager of human
here.”
resources. “But it’s been so much more than that.”
Jennifer Carter-Barber, director of programs at InReach, said
The inaugural class began July 23, 2016, with students chosen
after the internship, students leave the program with letters of
through an application process. It was opened to high school seniors
recommendation and experience that helps them get competitive
at least 18 years old. The first class welcomed six students.
employment.
Each student was assigned to a department at the hospital, with
“These kids are awesome,” she said. “It’s great to see them grow
a job coach from that department. Over the course of the year,
from the time they come into the program until the end. They’ve
students would do three internships in one of several departments at
learned so many skills, but they are also more confident. We’re
the hospital.
always looking for talented teammates that can make a difference
These departments included the operating room, the long-term
at the facility. This is a great opportunity for the students during the
care facility, the rehabilitation department, transportation, dietary
internship to show us the difference they can make and that’s exactly
and volunteer services.
what we’ve seen.” Lutes said.
Breeden said once the department was chosen for the intern, the
This inaugural class of Project Search graduates in June, and
job coach from that department decided what skills and opportunities the next class will begin in July. Lutes said the departments are now
were available for that intern to learn.
fighting over who will get the next crop of interns.
“They get an orientation,” Breeden said. “It’s like bringing a new
“The impact these students have on us, the smiles they bring to
employee into the department.”
us, and the difference that they make, it’s just incredibly rewarding
On a typical day, students arrive at the hospital about 8:45 am,
for the teammates, and that’s why the departments are fighting over
get their badges, and go to their internship area where they work
them because it’s a breath of fresh air,” Lutes added. “When you’re
until about 12:30 pm. They have lunch for about 30 minutes then
having a tough day, and they can bring a smile to your face, that’s
return to the classroom for instruction from 1 pm to 1:45 pm.
why we’re here.”
—This article was provided by the Union County Public Schools
Their teacher, Amanda Ort, said classroom lessons include team-
Communications Office.
building skills, hospital policies, hospital safety measures, proper
Parent Teacher Magazine • May/June 2017 • 7