Seven seniors from Tyler High School and Tyler Legacy High School signed letters of intent to participate in Project SEARCH at CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances Health System during a Signing Day Friday, April 14.
Project SEARCH is a collaboration between Tyler ISD, CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances Health System, Texas Workforce Solutions Vocational Rehabilitation Services, Andrews Center, and Winning Edge Employment Services.
Participating students work in a supported work training program and rotate through different internships within the workplace setting to be ready for competitive and independent employment after one year in Project SEARCH.
Teachers, friends, counselors, and district and local representatives from the community partners gave each student a cheering welcome as they entered. Superintendent Dr. Marty Crawford shared about the success the district has had during the nine-year partnership with Project SEARCH.
Tyler ISD Special Education Coordinator Tracy Johnston shared a brief bio about each of the students and their plans with Project SEARCH. The event concluded with the students signing their certificates.
Project SEARCH is an internationally known business-led model initially established at the Cincinnati Children's Hospital. It is designed to fully immerse students with developmental disabilities into the workplace, allowing them to gain marketable skills to secure competitive employment in their last year of transition from school to work.
Tyler High students include Gerald Johnson, Amanda Martinez, and Erick Montoya (not pictured).
Tyler Legacy students: Abbey Grage, Keyshawn Jackson, Christopher Lane, Laura Noyola-Aguirre, and Jefferson Ylarde.
For more information, contact Jennifer Hines at Jennifer.Hines@TylerISD.org.