Four students participated in the Project SEARCH High School Transition Program this year at NEBH. Although the program ended in March due to Covid-19, staff from NEBH organized a virtual Zoom graduation with the students this year. NEBH President David A. Passafaro welcomed the students and thanked them for all their hard work the past year. Also on the call were Boston City Councilor at Large Annissa Essaibi George who thanked NEBH for participating in this important program and Joanne Hilferty, President and CEO of Morgan Memorial Goodwill who thanked Linda Thompson, Sr. Vice President, NEBH, for being one of the first organizations that was interested in this program. She also talked about the partnership between Madison Park High School, NEBH and Morgan Memorial Goodwill for the past five years.

Thanks to gracious donors, NEBH is able to give the students a stipend while they were working. During the call, David A. Passafaro surprised the students with a check for the 13 weeks that they were away from the hospital.

Special thank you to NEBH staff: Lynn Stewart, Manager of Student Services and Amenities, Linda Thompson, Sr. Vice President, Human Resources and Service Excellence, Paige Legassie, Business Partner, Human Resources, Denise Cody, Nurse Manager, Peri-Operative Services, Jarlin Rizik, Manager, Central Transport, Jerimiah Xavier, Retail Manager, Food and Nutrition and Zelia Silva, Supervisor, Environmental Services.

And a heartfelt thank you to Brian Miller, Special Education Teacher, Madison Park High School and Angela Kallon, Job Site Specialist, Morgan Memorial Goodwill.

Project Search is a unique, business-led, one-year, school-to-work program that takes place entirely at the workplace. The program provides real-life work experience combined with training in employability and independent living skills to help youths with significant disabilities make successful transitions from school to productive adult life. As a result, at the completion of the training program, students with significant intellectual disabilities are employed in nontraditional, complex and rewarding jobs.