Since its inception in 1996, Project SEARCH has grown from a single program site at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital to a large and continuously expanding international network of sites. Project SEARCH’s primary objective is to secure competitive employment for people with disabilities.
The Project SEARCH High School Transition Program is a unique one-year school-to-work program that takes place entirely at the workplace.
Total workplace immersion facilitates a seamless combination of classroom instruction, career exploration, and on-the-job training and support through worksite rotations or internships.
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.
Who is Project SEARCH for?
- Students with significant disabilities who are in the last year of their educational program.
- Students who have a desire to achieve competitive employment.
- Students who have completed all academic requirements for graduation from high school.
- Students who are 18-21 years old.
Students are referred to the program through their schools and/or VR Counselor and apply in the winter and spring in the year prior to entering the program. The Project SEARCH teacher, VR Counselor, and provider staff carry out the selection process with input from the Project SEARCH state team.
South Dakota Project SEARCH Sites:
Aberdeen School District & Avera St. Luke’s Hospital, Aberdeen
Brookings School District & SDSU, Brookings
Black Hills Special Services Cooperative, Rapid City
TeachWell & Avera McKennan Hospital, Sioux Falls