Page 23 - Christiana Care Focus June July 2018

Project SEARCH helps young adults
with cognitive disabilities gain career skills
Project SEARCH, a nine-month internship program for recent high school graduates with cognitive disabilities, held a commencement ceremony for its eighth class June 4 at Christiana Care’s John H. Ammon Medical Education Center.
Joined by their Christiana Care instructors, mentors and families, the interns celebrated completion of the training program that provided classroom instruction, mentors and three rotations in different departments at Christiana Care.
“I have had my challenges at Project SEARCH, yet by keeping an open mind and accepting feedback provided by the staff, I feel as if I have gained new skills and grew as an individual," said graduating intern Drew Kortanek. “I have gained the skills necessary to transfer over to a functional productive job. This program is essential to life itself because I learned that the choices I make will define me for the rest of my life. So, on that note, goodbye Project SEARCH, hello employment!”
Since 2011, Project SEARCH has trained 64 interns with cognitive disabilities.
“The 10 graduates in this year’s cohort are incredibly inspiring” said Drewry Nash Fennell, Esq., Christiana Care’s chief officer of strategic communication and experience. “Their work, and that of their families, Project SEARCH students, leaders and coworkers truly exemplifies Christiana Care’s value of “We Serve Together guided
Tby our values, Excellence and Love.”
his year’s interns gained experience working with teams including the Helen F. Graham Cancer Center & Research
Institute, Clinical Engineering, Employee Health, Environmental Services, Facilities Maintenance, Food and Nutrition,
iLead, Materiel Distribution & Logistics,
Operating Room, Patient Escort, Patient Guides, Pharmacy, Prep and Holding, Property Management, Sterile Processing and Surgical Materiels Distribution.
“A supportive team and partnership are necessary to help this group of energetic young adults gain knowledge, strength, courage and experience,” said Project SEARCH Instructor Angela Hansen, NBCT, Red Clay School District on-site faculty member for the program.
In addition to Christiana Care and Red Clay, Project SEARCH partners include the Delaware Department of Education, Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, Community Integrated Services, Autism Delaware and POW&R (Productive Opportunities for Work & Recreation).
From left, Project SEARCH 2018 interns Jordan Watson, Kevin Hawkins, Jaden Santiago-Johnson, Rebecca Butler, Miara Battle, Danielle Alphonse, Jerry Green, Malik Skinner, Jade Torres, Drew Kortanek, and faculty leader Angela Hansen.
Also on hand to celebrate at the 2018 Project SEARCH graduation were Mervin Daugherty, Ph.D., superintendent, Red Clay School District; Dana Beckton, Christiana Care director, Diversity and Inclusion; Robert McMurray, MBA, chief financial officer, and other Christiana Care and Red Clay staff and friends.
“I liked being in Project SEARCH because it gave me a chance to learn something new every day," said Jerry Green. “But most of all I liked spending it with the people I love, my Project SEARCH family!” 
| Extraordinary People
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“The 10 graduates...
are incredibly inspiring”
Drewry Nash Fennell, Esq.
FOCUS • JUNE–JULY 2018 21