Project SEARCH graduates second cohort

JOHNSON CITY — Graduation season continued on the seventh floor of the Johnson City Medical Center this week with balloons, cookies, diplomas, a photobooth — and, of course, a few tears. Project SEARCH, a Johnson City Schools internship program that gives students with cognitive and development disabilities job training with local businesses, graduated five Science Hill High School students Wednesday morning from their second cohort this week: Ethan Acres, Olivia Andrews, Kailani Cirelli, Mandi Judy and Katie Pardee. "I've been with this organization now close to 15 years, and this is definitely the cherry on top for me to be able to see what you all bring to our hospital each and every day," Tara Chadwell, JCMC associate administrator, told the graduates. "Our team members love you. You are a part of our family." The program is a joint effort between Johnson City Schools, Ballad Health, Goodwill Industries of the Tenneva Area and Tennessee Vocational Rehabilitation. Instead of going to school, students do three nine-week internships and aim to get a job upon graduation. At the hospital, students worked across various departments that included patient transport, food services, environmental services and child life. Three of them will continue employment at JCMC: Judy in the housekeeping department, Andrews in food service and Cirelli in environmental services. Throughout the program, Johnson City Schools Superintendent Dr. Erin Slater said, students also work on lifelong skills like communication, presentation, confidence and self-advocacy. Decorations from the event featured photos from the program. Through Project SEARCH, students complete three nine-week internships and aim to get a job upon graduation. JOY MAZUR/SIX RIVERS MEDIA "[The ultimate goal is] they can be gainfully employed with something that they're passionate about," Slater said. "The unique thing about healthcare is that there's so many possibilities just within one facility of a hospital that does create those opportunities for students." Dr. Allecia Frizzell, Johnson City Schools supervisor of special education, said Project SEARCH has also helped inform the district what types of skills students need to be successful before starting their internships. "[To see] our kids, I should say our young adults, in the community, it's just really exciting," she said. The program is a success story, in Slater's opinion. The school system aims to make sure each child has the ability to reach their potential, she added, and this program extends that potential for students and lets them grow and thrive. "We could not do it without our partners, we could not do it without parents, we could not do it without the support of Johnson City Schools," Slater said. "But most of all, we couldn't do it without the students who are willing to take a chance on something different and be a part of something bigger than just these entities."