MILLEDGEVILLE, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Baldwin High School is partnering with Atrium Health Navicent Baldwin to ensure that students with special needs can be competitive in the workforce.
This week, the school announced the launch of Project SEARCH, which will allow five 2025 graduates to intern at Atrium Health Navicent over the next year. Michelle O’Gorman Maurer, Special Education Coordinator for the Baldwin County School District, says the skills acquired will help students with intellectual disabilities start medical careers or gain experience that can be useful in another field.
“There was a wonderful event where they were able to learn more about different skill sets and job avenues in these internships, Maurer said. “And from there, we are working to help set them up in their area of interest.”
Baldwin High School’s 2025-2026 Project SEARCH program will consist of three internship sessions set to begin this August and end next May. Angela Lintz, Chief Nursing Officer of Atrium Health Navicent Baldwin, says the interns will work in the hospital’s ancillary support departments.
“That may not be at the bedside, but it directly affects what happens at the bedside here,” Lintz said. “And so, that’s important because all of those departments are important and vital to the care of all of the patients here at the hospital.”
Susie Rutkowski co-founded Project SEARCH nearly three decades ago. The worldwide program works to help young adults with disabilities gain and maintain employment after high school. Rutkowski says Project SEARCH strengthens communities as students entering the workforce can serve the areas where they grew up.
“That’s what it’s all about,” Rutkowski said. “It’s finding competitive employment in their community so that they can learn and grow and do all of the things that young adults do.”
State law allows schools to provide special education services to students until age 21. Maurer says she’s confident the student interns will be top job candidates, and ready to move on next May.
“It’s going to help change their lives,” Maurer said. “So, we are so grateful and excited to start this program this year.”
Markeeta Clayton, the Principal of Baldwin High School, says she’s hopeful the partnership will continue for future cohorts.
