By MOLLY DAVIDSON / Staff Writer

ALABASTER—Hard work is nothing new to the nine student interns in the 2015-2016 Project SEARCH class, in fact it’s something they look forward to every day in their jobs at Shelby Baptist Medical Center.

The students presented what they learned during their first 10-week internship rotation at the hospital at a Dec. 3 open house event.

“What I like about Project SEARCH is, it’s a great opportunity to learn job skills in the medical field,” Thompson High School graduate and current Project SEARCH intern Arieonna Harris said.

Project SEARCH is a job training program that works with special-needs students from the Shelby County, Pelham City and Alabaster City school systems. The program accepts up to 12 high school graduates each year. Through a partnership with SBMC, the students learn a variety of job skills through a rotation of three 10-week internships throughout the hospital.

“It really has been an inspirational thing for us and our staff here, and a lot of help,” SBMC President Bob Philips said.

During their first internship rotation, members of Project SEARCH worked in patient transportation, materials management, the diagnostic center, the women’s center, the GI lab, the outpatient surgery center and Morrison’s, the hospital’s on-site cafe.

Harris spent her first rotation in the women’s center, where she was responsible for cleaning and putting bedding in cribs, delivering supplies to patients and answering the phone, among other things.

“Hopefully I will work in the medical field,” Harris said, explaining she not only enjoyed the work, but also interacting with patients.

Corbin Dale, a Pelham High School graduate, worked in the kitchen at Morrison’s. He spent the first rotation washing dishes and pots, keeping the cafe clean, serving food and making friends with his coworkers.

“I get sticky,” Dale said with a laugh.

Dale said he enjoyed the busy and social atmosphere in the kitchen, and liked the work.

“I’ve got a lot of friends (at work),” Dale said. “I hope I get a kitchen job.”

Along with job skills, the Project SEARCH students gain confidence and independence throughout their three internships.

“They’re your best employees. They’re going to be there, they’re going to be on time,” Project SEARCH job coach Kim Bryant said, explaining the pride her students take in their work. “That’s the whole point of our program, to give them the skills they couldn’t get anywhere else.”

Along with Harris and Corbin, Project SEARCH interns who presented on Dec. 3 were Taylor South, a THS graduate; Nick Jacks, a THS graduate; Anna Hall, an Oak Mountain High School graduate; Austin Greathouse, a THS graduate; Thomas Grice, a Hoover High School graduate; Amber Rall, a Chelsea High School graduate; and Rachel Greer, an OMHS graduate.