During her final year at Heath High School, Erin Nelson was considering a job at Kroger after graduation. But at the encouragement of her guidance counselor, she decided to take a different approach.

Erin agreed to delay graduation for a year to participate in the Project SEARCH internship program at Licking Memorial Health Systems (LMHS).

She is one of six student interns this year, working hard in a variety of hospital departments — including Labor and Delivery, Fiscal, Environmental and Acute Rehab.

Erin started her Project SEARCH experience in the hospital’s Concierge department, preparing gift bags for employees. She’s enjoyed getting to talk to the volunteers and staff who come through the office.

“I’ve definitely learned a lot more communication skills,” she said. 

In its ninth year in Licking County, Project SEARCH gives young adults with disabilities the opportunity to spend an entire school year at LMHS, gaining the training and soft skills they need to transition from school to adult life. 

Throughout the year they complete three internships in different departments of the hospital. Project SEARCH is a partnership between the hospital, the Licking County Board of Developmental Disabilities, Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities, the Licking Regional Educational Service Center and Greenleaf Job Training Services, Inc.

This year’s group of interns represent Newark, Licking Valley Watkins, Heath and Granville high schools. 

Besides spending time in the internship departments, they also spend time in the classroom, learning professionalism, money management and other life skills. They received certification in first aid and CPR and will leave the program with a portfolio that includes their resume and examples of the work they completed, including photos of them on the job!

Their goal is to use those materials to get a competitive job in the community after Project SEARCH ends. 

Xavier Wells, who attended Newark High School, said that he is still weighing his options for future jobs.

He likes to be on the move and for his internship in the purchasing department, he goes all over the hospital, delivering supplies and stocking isolation boxes. 

He’s hoping to have some experiences in the maintenance and engineering departments before the end of the school year.