COEUR d'ALENE — If rising tides lift all ships, then Project SEARCH is how young adults with disabilities become captains of their own fates.

The high school transition program has been conducted in partnership with Kootenai Health and the Coeur d'Alene School District for 15 years. Interns, graduates, business partners, school district leaders and hospital officials gathered Wednesday at Kootenai Health to celebrate this milestone and just how much of an impact the program has had on individuals and the community through the years.

“I can’t believe it’s been 15 years,” said Project SEARCH instructor and founding teacher Theresa Moran, who also shared her excitement and passion for the program.

"Just being able to be part of the fabric of Kootenai Health and the Coeur d'Alene School District, it has been an absolute blessing to me as well as being able to touch so many lives," Moran said.

Project SEARCH originated at Cincinnati Children's Hospital in 1996 to provide employment and education opportunities for individuals with significant disabilities. It was replicated in North Idaho in 2010 through collaboration between Kootenai Health, the Idaho Division of Vocational Rehabilitation and the Coeur d’Alene School District. 

The Coeur d'Alene program was initially led by Frances Huffman, the then-director of special education in the Coeur d'Alene School District. Since then, Project SEARCH has stood as a beacon of opportunity, fostering inclusion and helping students acquire critical skills for their future, Coeur d'Alene Deputy Superintendent Mike Nelson said.

Through this annual program, individuals between 18 and 21 who meet the qualifications receive classroom instruction on employability and independent living, they participate in internship rotations, they work with mentors to learn how to independently work, they engage in job development activities and they graduate with skills needed to find meaningful employment. Interns often find jobs in the community before or soon after they complete the program.

Since its inception, Project SEARCH has graduated 126 interns, each one leaving with more than vocational training.

“They leave with dignity, self-confidence and a sense of purpose. They leave ready to contribute, ready to succeed and ready to inspire,” Nelson said, turning to the Project SEARCH interns and grads who stood at the front of the room. “And you continue to inspire us, every single day.”

Nelson recognized Moran and her co-instructor, vocational transition teacher Abbie Waters, for embracing the program from the start.

Moran expressed her appreciation for Waters, who learned about Project SEARCH when her sister went through the program about eight years ago.

Waters shared her gratitude to all who support the program and the opportunities that have been provided to young people with disabilities through Project SEARCH.

“People with disabilities can work just as hard as anyone else," Waters said. "It may be intimidating at first, but they work just as hard if not harder than the majority of the community. They’re worth going out on a limb for."

Brett Rudd, a 2015 graduate, has worked at Kootenai Health for 10 years, first in the laundry department and now in housekeeping.

When asked if he enjoys his job, he immediately said, "Yes, ma’am." He also said he enjoyed the 15-year celebration.

"It was awesome," he said.

One of his managers, Harmony Reilly, said Rudd always notices if a Project SEARCH article runs in the paper and when other Project SEARCH friends get hired at the hospital.

She said it's great how well-prepared these young people are when they arrive at Kootenai Health after going through the program.

"They’re a really important part of our workforce,” she said.

As part of the celebration, the school district honored Kootenai Health as a Friend of 271.

"This recognition is a testament to their extraordinary collaboration and belief in the potential of every person," Nelson said during the announcement. "The legacy of this partnership with Project SEARCH serves as a shining example of how organizations can join forces to make a meaningful difference in their communities, exemplifying the very first goal in our strategic plan — developing community partnerships.”

Kootenai Health CEO Jamie Smith said the hospital gets more out of the program than the students do.

"It is a huge win-win-win for the district, for the students and for our organization,” he said. “The whole community benefits. I don’t know if there’s much more of a valuable program that I can think of. A rising tide floats all boats.”

    Project SEARCH founding teacher Theresa Moran, left, and vocational transition teacher Abbie Waters share a moment Wednesday at Kootenai Health as they celebrate 15 years of the high school transition program.
  

    From left, intern Durant Teague and graduates/Kootenai Health employees Tatem Lynn and Brett Rudd stand at the front of the room Wednesday as they enjoy the Project SEARCH 15th anniversary presentation. Logos for the businesses where Project SEARCH grads have been hired can be seen on the screen behind them.