LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — It took one school year for six high school students with special needs to transform their lives. One school year where they learned work skills, of course, plus a 30-minute graduation ceremony.
“This might be the biggest day of her life. She has been a changed person this year,” said Rica Ricketts of her daughter, Ella.
Ella, with her classmates Karly Bricker, Elaine Chau, Richard Hamilton, Daniel Victor, and Alvin Warner, received her diploma after completing the inaugural year of the UK Healthcare Project SEARCH internship program with Fayette County Public Schools. This inclusive program allows special needs students to experience the workforce and discover opportunities that might not otherwise be available to them.
“Of course, they learned work skills, of course, they are more work-ready, but it’s their confidence. It’s their independence, said Holly McCombs. McCombs is the program’s instructor with the school district.
“UK Healthcare is the perfect partner. They were looking for ways to become more inclusive and helped put this all together,” McCombs said. “We are going to be forever grateful to UK Healthcare,” she continued.
Project SEARCH was originally founded by Cincinnati Children’s Hospital. Since its inception, others, like UK Healthcare, have jumped on board. Next year’s interns for this program have already been selected. This year’s group of kids has already been impacted immeasurably.
“She was afraid to go anywhere on her own without me. Now, she navigates the entire hospital on her own. She talks to people, and she never used to. She’s incredibly independent now, and I think that’s the biggest thing from this program,” Mrs. Ricketts said.
Ella is hoping to become a skills trainer.
“This program is amazing. One giant family where you just go to the hospital and report to work,” Ella beamed.
“They said it would be a springboard for her future, and I totally agree. Now they say, ‘Ella, you can be a skills trainer.’ At the beginning of the year, she would’ve said, ‘no,’ but now she can,” Ricketts said.
