Tolles Career & Technical Center, in partnership with Project SEARCH and OhioHealth Dublin Methodist Hospital, is helping young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities transition from school to meaningful employment through its Project SEARCH program.
For recent graduate Kailee, that pathway led directly to a full-time position at Dublin Methodist Hospital. After completing her Project SEARCH internship last school year, she was offered a job in Environmental Services in the hospital’s Intensive Care Unit, where she cleans and sanitizes patient rooms and critical care spaces. She began her role in May 2025 and describes receiving the job offer as “amazing.”
Kailee’s success reflects the mission of Project SEARCH at Dublin Methodist Hospital: preparing students for competitive, integrated employment through real-world experience.
Pictured from left to right, Nova, a current Project SEARCH intern, and Kailee, a program graduate now employed in the ICU at Dublin Methodist Hospital, reflect the pathway from internship to meaningful employment.
Project SEARCH interns gain hands-on experience across hospital departments at Dublin Methodist Hospital, including Colin, pictured at left with Project SEARCH Instructor Carissa Jeffery while working in Linens, and Josh, pictured at right supporting Nutrition Services by restocking physician and ER respite rooms.
The program is a collaborative effort between Tolles, Project SEARCH, Dublin Methodist Hospital, Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities, and Greenleaf Job Training Services. Structured as a one-year high school transition program, Project SEARCH combines daily classroom instruction focused on workplace readiness with hands-on internships in hospital departments.
Students apply and participate in a selection committee process and must be eligible for services through the Ohio Rehabilitation Services Commission. Accepted interns complete three internship rotations throughout the year, gaining exposure to a variety of hospital roles. Monthly progress meetings help interns identify career goals and plan next steps, while hospital managers collaborate closely with the Project SEARCH instructor and job coaches to provide feedback and mentorship.
Individualized support is a cornerstone of the program. Job coaches work one-on-one with interns throughout their experience. One of those coaches is Melissa Huggins, who has been with Project SEARCH for eight years. In her role as a Job Coach, Huggins supports interns during their rotations and assists with job development in the spring, helping students apply for jobs, prepare for interviews, attend orientations, and successfully transition into employment.
Since launching during the 2009–2010 school year, Tolles’ Project SEARCH program at Dublin Methodist Hospital has served 157 interns. Today, 32 graduates are employed within OhioHealth. Interns collectively contribute approximately 10,300 volunteer hours each year supporting hospital operations, and over the past decade, 86% of program graduates have secured employment. While many remain within OhioHealth, others work for employers across Central Ohio in healthcare, assisted living, corporate offices, and customer service roles.
What began as a small initiative serving two districts and five high schools has grown to include seven districts and eleven high schools, expanding access to students across the region.
Project SEARCH Instructor Carissa Jeffery says seeing interns succeed makes the work especially rewarding.
“I’m incredibly proud to work with our interns and to watch them grow throughout the year,” Jeffery said. “Seeing students gain confidence, master new skills, and then move on to careers they’re proud of and genuinely enjoy is what makes this program so meaningful.”
Through strong partnerships, personalized support, and hands-on learning, Project SEARCH continues to bridge the gap between education and employment: meeting workforce needs while helping students build futures they can be proud of.