Singing River Health System hosted Project SEARCH Class of 2022 Graduation Ceremony

GULF COAST, MISSISSIPPI – May 11, 2022- Singing River Health System hosted the inaugural Project SEARCH Class of 2022 Graduation Ceremony.

Project SEARCH is the first-ever Mississippi Gulf Coast business-led collaboration between Singing River Health System, Ocean Springs School District and The Mississippi Department of Rehabilitation Services that enables young adults with disabilities to gain and maintain employment through training and career exploration. It is an unpaid internship. The goal is to prepare young people with significant disabilities for success in competitive integrated employment. To reach that goal, the program provides real-life work experience combined with training in employability and independent-living skills to help young people with significant disabilities make successful transitions to productive adult life. As a result, after the training program, students with significant intellectual disabilities are employed in nontraditional, complex and rewarding jobs.

The 2022 graduation ceremony was for interns who have completed the Project SEARCH program. So far, four out of the five interns have been hired by Morrisons, a partner of Singing River Health System. The graduates were Hannah Cook, Tamiya Dunkin, Neleah Level, Blake Rumery, and Jimel Thomas.