Project SEARCH Celebrates Second Annual Graduation At Seton Medical Center Hays
Project SEARCH at Seton Healthcare Family celebrates the 2015 graduating class of Project SEARCH, an innovative, business-led approach to competitive employment for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Initiated in 2007, Project SEARCH at Seton Healthcare Family is a year-long internship for local high school transition students with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Interns gain real-world work skills and professional experience through hands-on training in a healthcare system, with the ultimate goal of competitive employment either with Seton Healthcare Family or other Central Texas employers.
2015 marks the second graduating class for Seton Medical Center Hays. Project SEARCH throughout Seton Healthcare Family has graduated 82 interns since its inception. Of those 82 graduates, 84 percent have been hired either at Seton or with businesses in the community. This is a remarkable outcome given the national unemployment rate for individuals with disabilities lingers around 79 percent.
Christopher Hartle, President of Seton South Group, will served as master of ceremonies.
Geronimo Rodriguez, Vice President of Advocacy and External Affairs for Seton Healthcare Family, spoke at the ceremony.
Michael McKie, Superintendent for Hays Consolidated Independent School District, spoke on behalf of the district.
Roman Padilla, 2015 Project SEARCH graduate, served as the keynote speaker for the ceremony. Roman is a recent graduate of Lehman High School in Kyle. He was selected to participate in Project SEARCH at Seton Hays this past year where he worked with Surgical Services, the Emergency Department and Materials Management. He has an impeccable work ethic and will often begin working at his internship two hours before his actual scheduled start. Roman looks forward to pursuing a career in healthcare with a focus on supply distribution.
Jack Clark, 2015 Project SEARCH graduate, provided the closing remarks. Jack started the Project SEARCH year with the Environmental Services team and was responsible for linen distribution to patient areas, as well as assisting with preparing and stocking specific requests from the units. Due to his exceptional performance, Environmental Services management asked Jack to continue his internship. Jack completed three rotations on this team, with the goal of using his established skills, professional experience, and a recommendation from his manager to apply for a competitive position in the supply distribution field, either at Seton or in the community.