Spartan Project SEARCH

02/27/2026

This month, our interns have been strengthening their listening and communication skills in a creative way — by developing their own “how-to” guides! 📝🎥

Interns wrote step-by-step directions for a variety of tasks and then took it a step further by creating their own how-to videos to teach their classmates new skills. Through this process, they practiced giving clear instructions, thinking through details, and communicating effectively.

To wrap up the month, our instructor and skills trainer are putting those directions to the test — following the interns’ how-to guides exactly as written to see just how well they can teach us something new! 👏

We are so proud of their growth in confidence, clarity, and leadership. Great job, interns!

02/26/2026

This week our interns have been hard at work building life-saving skills! 💪

They’ve been learning how to respond in emergency situations, including how to check for scene safety, assess a person in need, and call 911. Interns also practiced hands-only CPR to build confidence and muscle memory.

To wrap it up, they put their knowledge to the test with a fun trivia game — reinforcing what they learned while having a great time together!

We are so proud of their focus, teamwork, and commitment to being prepared to help others. 👏

02/25/2026

Where Are They Wednesday? 🚗✨

We are so proud of Kezia, a 2021–2022 cohort graduate, who just passed her written driving exam and earned her driver’s permit!

This is such an exciting milestone and a big step toward even greater independence. Congratulations, Kezia — we can’t wait to see where the road takes you next! 🎉👏

02/24/2026

Check out this great opportunity and resource

Join us in March for our first Let's Talk About It! webinar of 2026:

"Understanding Social Security Benefits," presented by Pete Mulder, Social Security Benefits Counselor of Disability Network Southwest Michigan

📅Thursday, March 19
🕛 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM
📍Virtual webinar (Zoom)

Join us for an overview of the two Social Security disability benefit programs – Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). This webinar will focus on the application process, important factors around turning age 18, the impact of parental income/assets, and the myth that people receiving benefits can’t hold employment to reach further financial security.

💬 Let's Talk About It is a webinar series for people with disabilities, families, caregivers, and anyone interested in strengthening family wellbeing.

🔗 Register here: https://go.mi.gov/qx0q41924

02/23/2026

Angel is kicking off her week working hard with the Facilities Department at the Biomedical and Physical Sciences Building! 💪

She takes pride in respecting student study spaces while carefully cleaning and sanitizing surfaces to help keep the learning environment safe, welcoming, and ready for success.

We’re proud of Angel’s dedication and the positive impact she makes every day! ✨

02/20/2026

Today marks the final day of the Michigan Transition Services Association Conference.

It has been a wonderful couple of days filled with learning, collaboration, brainstorming, and networking with colleagues from across the state.

We’re especially proud to share that our Project SEARCH Statewide Coordinator received an award, our Transition Consultant led both a learning session and the Region 2 meeting, and our instructor presented about Project SEARCH while collaborating with fellow instructors.

What an incredible representation of our team’s dedication and leadership. We’re heading home inspired and ready to put new ideas into action! 👏✨

02/19/2026

Congratulations to our Michigan Project SEARCH Coordinator Sarah Winslow. It is a great pleasure to work along side of you!

MAASE proudly celebrates Sarah Winslow, recipient of the C. David Anderson Award, presented by Michigan Transition Services Association President Alana Anderson. This honor recognizes a leader who goes above and beyond in promoting transition services through leadership, advocacy, and innovation.

For more than two decades, Sarah has transformed outcomes for students with disabilities across Michigan. From expanding competitive employment opportunities as Statewide Director of Project SEARCH to strengthening transition programming and statewide partnerships, her work has created real pathways to independence and opportunity.

What truly sets Sarah apart is her heart — her unwavering belief in students and her commitment to always asking, “How can we make next year better for students and families?”

💙 Congratulations, Sarah, and thank you for your extraordinary leadership.

02/19/2026

Here is DT — another great example of an intern pushing themselves to learn new job skills at their internship! 👏

DT continues to step up, take initiative, and challenge himself to grow in new areas. Watching our interns build confidence, expand their skill sets, and take pride in their work is what this experience is all about.

02/18/2026

Interns like Jacob continue to push themselves outside of their comfort zones to learn new job skills during this internship. They’re not just completing assigned tasks — they’re actively observing new responsibilities they’d like to try, asking questions, and working hard to gain the experience needed to take that next step.

It’s incredible to watch how quickly they’re learning and growing. Their motivation and determination truly stand out each day.

02/17/2026

Applications are currently being collected for our upcoming Skills Assessment Day!

If you still have an application, be sure to get it turned in soon 😀 We’re looking forward to meeting our next group of potential interns and seeing all the great skills they bring!

02/14/2026

02/13/2026

Today we are enjoying a day off to rest and get ready for the second half of Internship 2