Like so many teachers, one of Emily Beckwith’s favorite days is graduation. Not only because she and her colleagues are successfully ushering another class of students out into the world, but also that they have an opportunity many teachers don’t – to pay tribute to each and every graduate right in front of their families.
Wednesday, May 14 was that special day this year for Emily and her students, families and colleagues at Project SEARCH, an extraordinary program for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities. This year’s graduating class is eight students, which affords teachers and staff ample time to say a proper goodbye and let their families know just how much the students mean to them.
Beckwith works with students who come to Project SEARCH looking to learn important skills they will need to get and keep jobs. She says getting the chance to brag on her students in front of their families on graduation day is a joyous occasion.
“We talk about the students and how they’ve grown and who they are. It’s kind of fun,” said Beckwith, who is finishing her eighth year at Project SEARCH.“We tailor (comments) to each student, which is my favorite part of graduation.”
Challenging Traditional Expectations
Project SEARCH is changing minds among both employers and families of students who complete the program. It is designed to ensure that students with intellectual and developmental disabilities are equipped with the necessary skills to not only get a job but also thrive in the workplace, thereby challenging previous expectations that some employers might have had.
“A lot of people look at our students and think they won’t be able to get a job. That is so not true,” said Beckwith. “Our students are so much more capable than people realize.”
Located at the Durham Public Schools City of Medicine Academy, Project SEARCH has served students since 2011. It is yet another one of the amazing partnerships DPS enjoys with businesses and organizations – in this case, Duke Regional Hospital, Alliance Behavioral Health, OE Enterprises, Inc., and the Employment and Independence for People with Disabilities office, a division of NC Health and Human Services.
Preparing Students with Solid Job Skills and Social Skills
Durham Public Schools Special Programs students may apply to attend Project SEARCH. Those accepted to the program may join after having completed all course requirements to receive a Certificate of Completion at the high school to which they were originally assigned.
Project SEARCH students then spend the next year at the City of Medicine Academy campus, where they participate in activities and internships that will help them develop very specific skills they will need to be successful in the workplace.
“I think it’s an amazing opportunity for our students to learn and grow in new ways while still in a protected environment,” said Beckwith. “They have staff with them while learning the skills they need. It’s a great way for them to learn and continue to grow.”
Here’s what students experience during their year at Project SEARCH:
A
four-week orientation period
, where
they learn about how to be professional in the workplace, including proper attire and developing “soft” skills, such as how to appropriately interact with a variety of people, how to communicate effectively, how to interview for a job, and specific workplace details such as elevator etiquette.
Three 10-week internships at Durham Regional Hospital. Here, students obtain real-world work experience. They learn the “hard skills”
that they
will need to perform specific tasks in the workplace.
Working with Project SEARCH teachers and staff to develop employment plans that will inform the types of jobs they seek.
Durham Regional provides the types of internships that develop skills which are easily transferred to a variety of jobs.
For example, students may work in Durham Regional’s supply chain, where they learn how and where to find specific items, how many they need, and where to deliver them. This would transfer well into being a personal shopper at a grocery store or retail store. They also work in the ambulatory care clinic, where they learn about sanitizing and preparing rooms. These skills could transfer to the hospitality industry or working in care facilities. Cold prep food service skills could be useful in the restaurant arena.
“Project SEARCH provides an opportunity for students to access vocational training, giving students an opportunity to increase social skills, problem-solving skills and gain on-the-job training experience,” said Krista Saunders, DPS Director of Specialized Programs and Behavior Support. “It’s providing experience and opportunities for students in a highly-specialized vocational program with the support they need to be successful.”
Entering the Workforce with Confidence
Project SEARCH staff members meet regularly throughout the year with their partners to discuss how individual students are being prepared to work and what types of jobs might be best suited for them. As students near completion of the program, EIPD works to help students interview for and ultimately secure jobs that best fit students’ skill sets.
As that time approaches, Saunders said she is also looking forward to seeing another class of young people who have more opportunities via this program than they might have had otherwise.
“There’s no happier day than a Project SEARCH graduation,” said Saunders. “It is the culmination of so much hard work that the students have put in and that their families have put in. What is going to come after is exciting.”
Beckwith said she enjoys the reaction of families who now have greater hope for their children’s future.
“I think a lot of families see that growth in their kids, in that sense of wanting more independence, in being able to go and get a job,” said Beckwith. “It’s pretty awesome, I love it.”
Visit Project SEARCH for more information if you have a student who might benefit from the program, or if you are a business or organization willing to hire a Project SEARCH graduate.