The Power of Giving Back
Derica Rice knows the importance of support and encouragement. Born and raised in Decatur, he attributes much of his success to the educators who pushed him to persevere as a young student. Today, Rice is a distinguished leader in the healthcare and pharmaceutical industries, with roles throughout his career at CVS Health, Target Corporation, and The Walt Disney Company. His passion for Launch reflects his personal commitment to education and opportunity.
“Someone saw potential in me. Potential I may not have seen in myself, and encouraged me to pursue my dreams,” Rice once explained in an interview on the Derwin Smiley Show. He now adds, “But it would have been great if I could have done that here, where I grew up!”
At the closing ceremony, Rice shared his hopes for the 2025 Launch Internship students, Matthew Kimmett, Kendal Davis, Cordilia Melchor-Rueda, and Jashua Bachuss: that they walk away from Launch with clarity, courage, and confidence to shape their own journeys — while staying connected to the community that raised them.
A Summer of Growth and Learning
Thanks to the paid internship opportunity given to the students over the summer, they were able to explore careers in their fields of interest, develop real-world skills, learn from community mentors, and gain confidence to pursue their dreams.
Matthew Kimmett has aspirations to fly planes for the military. He interned at Pryor Field Airport Authority under mentor Adam Fox.
Kendal Davis wants to go to medical school. She interned at Decatur Morgan Hospital under mentor Noel Lovelace.
Another rising doctor, Cordilia Melchor-Rueda, interned at both Decatur Morgan Hospital and HudsonAlpha.
With an interest in sports broadcasting, Joshua Bachuss spent his summer with Decatur Morgan County Tourism under mentor Danielle Gibson, honing his skills in communications and marketing.
