Bronson Baer of New Tripoli and Michelle Bock of Palmerton were two of the eight students who graduated from the Good Shepherd's Project SEARCH program on June 13, at the Conrad W. Raker Center in Allentown.

Project SEARCH helps students with learning disabilities and other cognitive disorders learn the communication and other workplace skills needed for employment in today's marketplace. The nine-month program places the students in various jobs at Good Shepherd and provides the participants with the skills they need to become valued employees for local businesses and organizations.Good Shepherd is the first Project SEARCH site in the state. The program, which originated at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center in 1997, is a partnership between Good Shepherd Work Services, Carbon-Lehigh Intermediate Unit 21, the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation in Allentown and the Office of Developmental Programs of the Lehigh Valley.