Stemilt’s Project SEARCH program welcomes new class of interns

Wenatchee, Wash.-based Stemilt's Project SEARCH program has welcomed four new interns for the 2023-2024 school year.

After graduating seven interns last year, the Project SEARCH program at Stemilt will continue to help young adults secure competitive employment by providing real-life work experience and training for independent-living skills a second year, according to a news release.

This year, members of the Project SEARCH’s Business Advisory Council will be a resource for interns to participate in mock interviews and job shadowing opportunities, the release said.  

“Stemilt is all in with Project SEARCH and we are so excited to have these new interns here with us,” Stemilt Director of People Experience Zach Williams said in the release. “We have great people ready to help the interns on their journey and we feel blessed to help each of them learn, grow, and thrive, whether they find a job with us or in the community. At Stemilt, we refer to each other as Stemilters and I’m excited to welcome the students into the Stemilter family.”

Project SEARCH provides education and training to young people with disabilities helping individuals gain real-life work experience, according to the release. This is combined with training for employability and independent living to help them successfully transition to productive adult life. As an addition to the program, members of Project SEARCH’s Business Advisory Council will help interns advocate for themselves in the community during their search for work.  

“This school year, we have 755 programs going nationwide,” Eastmont Transition Coordinator Michelle Sadewasser said in the release. “At Stemilt, we’ll be supported this year with BAC members from Columbia Valley Community Health, Wenatchee World, Numerica, Confluence Health, Eastmont School District, Link Transit, Stemilt, Allstate, YMCA and Chelan Douglas Developmental Disabilities. We thank these organizations for helping our interns gain valuable life and working experience for the benefit of their future.”

Related: First graduates from Project SEARCH at Stemilt set sights on employment

The interns are Hadley Haggard, who will intern at reception, Cody Shiflett, who will intern at Stemilt’s repack department, Ayden Snyder and Cristain Judd-Dittmer, who will be at Stemilt’s Euclid facility. Over the duration of the first of three Stemilt internships, they will practice skills in communication, time management, following instruction, self-advocating and conducting themselves in a professional manner, the release said.

“We’re looking forward to serving interns for a second year now,” Project SEARCH instructor Terry Brown said in the release. “This year’s group of interns is completely different from last year. Most of the interns are undecided on what type of jobs they want in the future. This makes the year exciting because we get to introduce them to different types of jobs that they may have not of been interested in before.”