Project SEARCH

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Project SEARCH has more than 700 program sites in 48 US states and 10 countries.

10/14/2026

Congratulations to our Alumni of the Month, Ashton! 🎉
Each month, we highlight a Project SEARCH graduate making an impact in their career, and Ashton is doing just that in the classroom! After completing Project SEARCH, Ashton was hired as a Classroom Cleaner for the Department of Education in Hawaii. Ashton is now helping keep classrooms clean.

Nominate your alumni to be the next Alumni of the Month to be celebrated just like Ashton!

Email [email protected] with your contact information and the alum you’d like to nominate.
We are excited to share how our alumni are doing out in the world after Project SEARCH!

Special thanks to our sponsor, Mitsubishi Electric America Foundation (MEAF), for making it possible to share stories like Ashton’s!

10/05/2026

Are your Steering Committee meetings feeling like you hear the same thing every month? Do you struggle to keep your committee members engaged? Do you struggle with knowing what to talk about each meeting?

This month be sure to cover the topic of marketing! Plan out your info sessions, update materials, and schedule all important events. Make sure to discuss who will be at each event and how they will be involved.

If you need help staying organized, check out the Steering Committee Meeting Agenda document found in the Tool Kit on the Member Portal.

09/30/2026

🍂 Fall into learning with Project SEARCH!

Whether you're new to your program or need a refresher, our October trainings are designed to help your team build a strong foundation for success.

📅 Fundamentals starts October 6
📅 Intro & Planning Parts 1 & 2 on October 13-14

🔗 Visit www.projectsearch.us to access the Member Portal and save your seat!

09/28/2026

🌟 Model Fidelity Monday: #6 – The Program is Committed to Continuous Improvement 🌟

Great programs don't just maintain quality; they continuously work to improve it. Model Fidelity Component #6 emphasizes the importance of using data, evidence-based resources, and strategic planning to strengthen outcomes for interns and ensure long-term program success. Through regular data entry, use of Project SEARCH resources, and ongoing action planning, teams can identify strengths, address challenges, and make informed decisions that lead to better results.

Continuous improvement is not about being perfect. It is about being reflective, responsive, and committed to growth. Whether teams are working to increase employment outcomes, improve recruitment efforts, strengthen internship experiences, or better utilize available resources, small improvements can have a significant impact on intern success.

📣 Call to Action for Project SEARCH Teams:
Take time this week to reflect on your program's progress. What is one area where your team is excelling, and what is one area that could be strengthened? Use your data, seek feedback from partners, and identify one action step that will move your program closer to full model fidelity.

09/25/2026

Last Friday Fifth Third Bank held the 20th Annual Tee Off for Project SEARCH golf outing. We are so grateful for their support and longstanding commitment to Project SEARCH.
Thank you to Mitch Morgan, Molly Edwards and the rest of the Fifth/Third Bank team for their time and effort that was put into this event for the benefit of Project SEARCH!

09/23/2026

Starting a new Project SEARCH year can bring a lot of excitement- and a lot of questions for families. In this Project SEARCH Alumni Association interview, Lisa shares her experience as a Project SEARCH parent and the advice she has for families supporting their interns through their transition.
Watch Lisa’s full interview to hear more about her daughter’s journey to employment, independence, and living on her own.
Watch the full interview here: https://youtu.be/k5fAcaVkwwQ

09/21/2026

🌟 Model Fidelity Monday: #5 – The Program Leads to Acquisition of Competitive Skills 🌟

A key component of Model Fidelity #5 is helping interns build skills intentionally, one layer at a time. Interns first develop essential workplace skills such as attendance, communication, professionalism, problem-solving, and teamwork. As those skills become stronger, they can learn more complex job tasks and take on greater responsibility within each of their internships.

Each internship should provide opportunities for interns to not only learn new tasks but also build upon skills mastered in previous internships. Whether an intern is learning inventory management, customer service, data entry, food service, or another job function, the goal is to continually layer skills and increase independence, quality, and productivity over time. Project SEARCH internships are designed to help interns acquire competitive, marketable, and transferable skills that prepare them for employment beyond the program year.

📣 Call to Action for Project SEARCH Teams:
This week, look at the tasks interns are learning in their current internships. How are those tasks building upon skills they've already mastered? Identify opportunities to intentionally layer skills and challenge interns to take the next step in their growth.

09/17/2026

The member portal is an essential tool for us to track the success of Project SEARCH and provide you with new and innovative resources for your programming. Having the most up-to-date information is critical for us to deliver on our promise of competitive employment for all interns.
For most programs your interns should be well into their first internships. If you haven't done so yet, log into the member portal and update the first internship for each intern.
If you need help, don't despair! Reach out to your Program Specialist for support.

09/14/2026

🌟 Model Fidelity Monday: #4 - The Program is Business Focused 🌟

Being business focused is about more than where interns spend their day. It is about ensuring that every internship experience helps interns build the competitive, marketable, and transferable skills they need for employment success. Project SEARCH internships are intentionally designed to provide real workplace experiences where interns can learn new tasks, increase independence, strengthen communication skills, and develop the confidence needed for competitive employment. These experiences happen in authentic business settings and are guided by managers, mentors, and workplace teams who support skill growth every step of the way.

When interns are immersed in the business environment, they gain exposure to workplace expectations, learn industry standards, and practice skills that can transfer to future employment opportunities. Every internship is an opportunity to build on previous successes, expand skill sets, and move closer to achieving employment goals.

📣 Project SEARCH Teams:
Take time this week to reflect on the skills interns are developing in each internship. Are the experiences providing opportunities to learn new, marketable skills? Are interns being challenged to grow and demonstrate increasing independence? Consider how you can enhance internship experiences to maximize skill development and prepare interns for successful employment outcomes.

💙 Strong internships build strong skills, and strong skills lead to successful careers.

09/08/2026

This month we’re excited to celebrate Mikale! After graduating from Project SEARCH in 2026, Mikale was hired as a Lead Dishwasher at GSU Lakeside Dining. Mikale completed his final rotation at Lakeside, where his dedication and strong work ethic made such an impression that the manager wanted to hire him!
Nominate your alumni to be the next Alumni of the Month to be celebrated just like Mikale!
Email [email protected] with your contact information and the alum you’d like to nominate.
We love celebrating the achievements and success of our alumni!
Special thanks to Mitsubishi Electric America Foundation (MEAF) for supporting the Project SEARCH Alumni Association and helping us share stories like Mikale’s!

Address

Project SEARCH/Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center 3333 Burnet Avenue, MLC 5030
Cincinnati, OH
45229

Website

http://www.projectsearch.us/, http://twitter.com/projectsearchhq, http://linktr.ee/projectsearch_hq

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