ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Elijah Shannon is a star in the halls of Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg.
He is in charge of cleaning and maintaining game rooms for patients, keeping them germ-free and fun.
“When I come to work, I just like to be positive,” Shannon says. “I love to smile!”
Elijah got his position thanks to Project SEARCH, a job-training internship that prepares people with Down syndrome, autism and other disabilities for the workforce.
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“The program has helped me so much,” Shannon says. “And Janna is the best teacher ever.”
Janna Worsham is an instructor with the program and says the organization is about more than just a career path. It is about much-deserved inclusion.
“We’re moving them out into the real world and saying, ‘You belong here,'" says Worsham.
Project Search also helps its interns develop social skills and financial management.
The program, which is international and has several other on-the-job partners in Florida, is currently accepting candidates. To learn more or apply, visit www.projectsearch.us,
