It was a day of joy for many in Robeson County, as parents and family members joined together to witness their loved ones commit to RCC’s 2024-2025 Project SEARCH.

Twelve students officially committed to the training on Wednesday. Project SEARCH is a program at RCC whose primary objective is to help individuals with disabilities secure competitive employment. The signing recognizes the student’s acceptance and agreement to participate in the course.

“This was the first time we did signing day for Project SEARCH,” stated James Erick Mitchell, the director of career and college readiness at RCC. “This was an exciting time for friends and family members to watch their loved ones take the next step towards independence and be able to give back to society in their own special way.”

As students signed their names, you could feel the sense of pride in the room.

“This was a big day for many families in Robeson County,” Mitchell said. “It has been a positive day… I can’t wait to see the growth of these students, both personally and in their skillsets.”

During the event, parents and family members had an opportunity to ask questions and learn more about the program.

Project SEARCH is offered in partnership with UNC Health Southeastern and NC Department of Health and Human Services, as well as Acceleration Educational Services, which provides on site job coaching throughout the program year. As students’ progress through the program, they are given internship opportunities at UNC Southeastern to determine what the best fit is for their skillset.

“I want this to be an enjoyable experience for all of you,” Dr. Patrick Ebri, Vice President and Chief Engagement Officer of UNC Health Southeastern said as he spoke to the students at the ceremony. “The lessons you learn through Project SEARCH will be something you can take with you wherever you go.”

The students who will become a part of the future Project SEARCH Class of 2025 are Tyshawn Evans, Allan Flores Morales, Abner Flores Morales, Dakota Shaw, Cierra Allen, Jaynean Boyd, Joshua Locklear, Cameron Jacob, Sefia Reid, Michael McMillan, Marisa Williams and Madison Roach.

“We are so thankful for all the partnership with our community agencies, we could not do this without them,” Mitchell said. “We are so glad and appreciative that we can offer this opportunity to this remarkable group of students and hope to provide more opportunities to more students in this community.”

For more information on Project SEARCH, please contact James Erick Mitchell at 910-272-3608 or jmitchell@robeson.edu.

About Project SEARCH

Project SEARCH was developed at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, a research environment that fosters visionary thinking and innovation. It began in 1996 when Erin Riehle was the director of theCincinnati Children’s Emergency Department. The hospital served individuals with disabilities and thought the hospital should commit to hiring people within this group. She sought to discover ways to train those with developmental disabilities to fill high-turnover, entry-level positions in her department that involved complex and systematic tasks such as stocking supply cabinets. Erin presented her ideas to Susie Rutkowski, then special education director at Great Oaks Career Campuses. It was at that time that Erin and Susie formed a partnership and launched Project SEARCH. The organization has now grown to an expanding international network of sites, including Robeson Community College. Project SEARCH’s primary objective is to secure competitive employment for people with disabilities.