Skip to main content
NCDHHS logo NCDHHS

Topical Navigation

  • Home
  • Assistance
    Assistance
    • Aging And Adult Services
    • Children's Services
    • Deaf-Blind Services
    • Disability Services
    • Disaster Preparation And Recovery
    • Guardianship
    • Hearing Loss
    • Low-Income Services
    • Medicaid Transformation
    • Medicaid
    • Mental Health And Substance Abuse
    • NC Assistive Technology
    • Pregnancy Services
    • Vendor Resources
    • Veteran's Services
    • Vision Loss
    • Vital Records
  • Divisions
    Divisions
    • Aging and Adult Services
    • Child and Family Well-Being
    • Child Development And Early Education
    • Disability Determination Services
    • Health Benefits (NC Medicaid)
    • Health Service Regulation
    • Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Substance Abuse
    • Office of Economic Opportunity
    • Office Of Minority Health And Health Disparities
    • Office of Rural Health
    • Public Health
    • Services for the Blind
    • Services for the Deaf and the Hard of Hearing
    • Social Services
    • State Operated Healthcare Facilities
    • Vocational Rehabilitation Services
  • Documents
  • Providers
    Providers
    • Licensure
    • Provider Info
    • LME-MCO Directory
    • Policies, Manuals and Forms
  • News
    News
    • Press Releases
    • Media Contacts
    • Events
    • Newsletter Articles
  • About
    About
    • Administrative Offices
    • DHHS Mission, Vision, Values and Goals
    • Department Initiatives
    • Grant Opportunities
    • Leadership
    • Overview
  • Contact
    Contact
    • Division Contacts
    • Hotlines
    • Report Fraud
  • NCDHHS COVID-19
  • NC.GOV
  • AGENCIES
  • JOBS
NCDHHS »   Home »   blog

Wake County Project SEARCH Graduates Eight Interns

June 26, 2020

Author: Bailey Pennington, Office of Communications

Steven Talbot’s alarm still goes off twice a day every day. It’s a watch timer he set to keep track of his working hours during his internship – just one of many life skills he learned through Project SEARCH.

“Project SEARCH is an international program designed for individuals with disabilities in order to help them find competitive employment,” explained instructor Carolyn Penn.

During their senior year of high school with Wake County Public Schools, students are recruited into the internship program, where they learn on-the-job training as well as life skills. It’s a partnership between the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS), the Wake County Public School System, Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, Community Workforce Solutions and Embassy Suites in Cary as the host site.

“The way the program runs, they do three internships for the nine months,” explained Project SEARCH coordinator Sandi Bouchard. “They learn the skills that work for that department. For instance, in the kitchen we were helping them learn to cut, dice, slice, how to prep food, wash dishes… how to mop the floors, how to disinfect and sanitize, how to work as a team and how to work individually.”

Several hours of each day was also dedicated to learning other “soft skills” such as self-advocacy, exercise, budgeting and more. “They’re enrolled in four electives: financial literacy, social communication, health and wellness, and skills for employment,” said Penn. “Project SEARCH is a total immersion program.”

These skills, both in the classroom and on the job, are also transferrable. “I liked working in the kitchen with Chef Matt [at the Embassy Suites],” said Talbot. “Now I help my mom cook.”

Due to the COVID19 pandemic, Project SEARCH transitioned to an at-home learning environment.

“We created an Embassy-At-Home checklist of jobs similar to those they were doing at the Embassy Suites so they could continue practicing,” explained Penn.

“Those are transferrable skills. If you can fold laundry in the laundry room at the Embassy Suites, you can fold laundry at home. All of the interns, they truly rocked it,” Bouchard agreed.

On Monday, June 8, Bouchard and Penn celebrated graduation with all eight interns and their families with a ceremony and car parade. This year’s graduates included Rachel Cromer, Casey Park, Josiah Phillips, Catherine Rabon, Colton Rawls, Meghan Sacarello, Steven Talbot and Summer Stallings.

All eight interns were able to take the stage and receive their certificates as their families cheered and waved with homemade signs from their cars and trucks. Simply, “It was fun,” said Talbot.

“It was bittersweet,” said Bouchard. “But the pure joy of seeing the huge smiles and sense of accomplishment from each intern made it all worth it.”

Going forward, Community Workforce Solutions will be working with each intern for job placement and coaching. “I hope to get a job and be useful and help other people,” said Talbot. “Fingers crossed.”

This blog is related to:

  • Newsletters

Related Articles

  • August is National Breastfeeding Month
  • NCDHHS Recognizes 23rd Anniversary of Olmstead, Spotlights Stories From Across North Carolina
  • NCDHHS Leader Shares Personal Journey and Celebrates Departmental Accomplishments at National Health and Human Services Summit
  • What Expanding Medicaid Would Mean for North Carolina
  • Join NCDSS for In-Person Event June 17 Celebrating Reunification and Foster Care Months
  • Collaboration Between Health Officials Leads to Better Understanding of Heartland Virus in North Carolina
  • Q&A with Debra Farrington: NCDHHS' Chief Health Equity Officer
  • Radon Measurement and Mitigation Scholarships Available for Minority Contractors
  • Dr. Zack Moore, All 85 Local Health Directors Honored with Levine Award for Contributions to Public Health
  • NCDHHS' Forensic Toxicology Laboratory Achieves National Re-Accreditation
  • May is Melanoma and Skin Cancer Awareness Month
  • NCDHHS Celebrates Older Americans Month
  • NCDHHS Staff Plants Pinwheel Garden to Recognize Child Abuse Prevention Month
  • NCDHHS to Offer Scholarships for Spanish Speaking Contractors to Become Nationally Certified in Radon Measurement and Mitigation
  • Employment First Internships

Share this page:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Email
Back to top

Contact Information

NC Department of Health and Human Services
2001 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-2000
Customer Service Center: 1-800-662-7030
For COVID-19 questions call 1-888-675-4567
Visit RelayNC for information about TTY services.

Recent Tweets

Tweets by @ncdhhs

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
  • LinkedIn
  • Translation Disclaimer
  • Employee Directory
  • Accessibility
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Open Budget
https://www.ncdhhs.gov/blog/2020-06-26/wake-county-project-search-graduates-eight-interns