Student

Reflections

Franklin Akins

Franklin Akins

During my time at Project

SEARCH I learned many new job

and life skills. I now know how to

sort and process mail, buff floors,

assemble cages for research

purposes, and ride the MTA

independently. Of course, these

all were not during the same

internship.

Project SEARCH has helped me

transition into my adult life. I am

now living in my own apartment

and will be working full time.

Franklin Akins

I would like to thank my

coworkers for helping me become

better prepared for work, the

Project SEARCH staff for training

me on new job skills and my

parents for encouraging me to join

the program.

I would also like to thank Ms.

Yeargin, Pastor King, Ms. Lattie

and everyone at North Star for

helping me become a better

person.

Yamah Boakai

Yamah Boakai

Hello my name is Yamah Boakai

and I want to thank all of the staff

at Project SEARCH for teaching

me many things. One of the most

important things I have learned is

how to get a job.

Project SEARCH has helped me

make new friends in my class and

in the three internships I had.

Overall my experience in this

program has prepared me for the

working world.

Shawna Davis

Shawna Davis

First, I want to say

congratulations to all of the

students who are graduating

today.

Project SEARCH is a very good

program. The staff taught me

important job skills. Being able to

listen and follow directions is

necessary to complete all of my job

duties. I learned how to accept

advice without getting upset.

Shawna Davis

It was hard to leave my

supervisors and coworkers at the

end of each internship. I want to

thank everyone for helping me.

Now it is my turn to shine and to

show the world that I can do

anything. Thanks to the Project

SEARCH staff.

Sheila Eason

Sheila Eason

In my time here at Project

SEARCH I learned some very

great skills to have as a working

adult. I want to thank the job

coaches and teachers for helping

me in my internship and

classroom experiences.

During my time at Project

SEARCH, I have learned great job

skills that I can take with me

when I leave the program. I made

a lot of great friends in the

hospital and all around the

University of Maryland campus.

Sheila Eason

I want to thank Project SEARCH

for teaching me how to interview

for a job and preparing me for a

job in the future. Through my

internship experiences I know

where I would like to work.

After my time in the cafeteria as a

server and as a sandwich artist at

Subway I know I want to be in

food service as a career. Lastly I

want to thank everyone for

allowing me to become a more

independent adult.

Cierra Garner

Cierra Garner

When I came to Project SEARCH I

learned how important it is to

balance my personal life and my

responsibilities in the workplace.

The Project SEARCH staff has

helped me to get my life on track.

In order for me to be successful I

have come to work everyday and

on time. I have to make sure that

my personal life does not affect me

at work. I have to be respectful to

my coworkers and others.

Cierra Garner

I would like to thank my

internships in Housekeeping and

Campus Mail for allowing me to

work and learn new skills.

I would also like to thank the

Project SEARCH staff, with a

special thanks to Ms. Gillis who

pushed me. Because of her

influence I discovered what I could

do.

Finally, I want to thank my family

for loving me and supporting me.

Justin Green

Justin Green

Thank you to everyone in the

Project SEARCH program for

allowing me to choose internships

that I like.

My coworkers and supervisors

were very helpful. They told me

that I was a good worker. This

makes me feel proud. My parents

gave me support and encouraged

me to be successful.

Justin Green

Since I’ve been in the Project

SEARCH program my self-esteem

has improved because of all the

transition skills I’ve learned.

Thank you for coming to our

graduation celebration.

Charles Hargrove

Charles Hargrove

Hello my name is Charles Lewis

Hargrove and I want to thank my

aunt, Mr. Carlos, Mr. Eric, and

Mr. Ramon. Project SEARCH has

taught me many things. I learned

about getting a job, having an

internship, and following rules.

I was happy before I came to

Project SEARCH, but now I am

not just happy, but also proud of

myself and I feel great.

Charles Hargrove

This is all thanks to the support of

the Project SEARCH staff and my

friends and family. I want to

thank everyone for believing in

me, my school IBE 435 and

everyone I have met here this

year.

Donmonic Johnson

Donmonic Johnson

I would like to thank my job

coaches, coworkers, supervisors,

Ms. Falcone, Ms. Gillis, Mr. Wyatt,

fellow interns, para-educators, my

parents, Herb Hardrick, the

University of Maryland police

officers and M&T Bank for helping

me succeed in Project SEARCH.

I would also like to recognize the

principal, assistant principal and

teachers at my old school, the

Institute of Business and

Entrepreneurship.

Donmonic Johnson

During my first internship at the

HS/HSL mailroom I learned how to

sort the incoming mail and prepare

and weigh packages for delivery.

Mr. Patrick was a great teacher in

the HS/HSL mailroom.

My second internship was in

Human Resources. I learned how

to alphabetize tuition remission

forms, look up employee IDs on the

computer and prepare benefit

information for mailing. All of my

coworkers helped me succeed in

this internship.

Donmonic Johnson

After I graduate from Project

SEARCH I want to become an auto

designer. Project SEARCH taught

me how to advocate for my rights

and be responsible in the work

world.

Jamar Johnson

Jamar Johnson

I’d like to thank my job coaches

and coworkers for pushing me far

enough so I can accomplish my

task and goals for each internship.

I will continue to build my self-

esteem in the workplace.

My first internship was in the

Paint Shop. I learned how to paint

the floors and the ceilings and add

work order information to the

database.

Jamar Johnson

My second internship was at

Campus Mail. I learned how to

look up names in the computer and

put them on the mail. I also

delivered mail to other buildings.

My final internship was at the

Thurgood Marshall Law Library. I

added the skill of filing periodicals,

books and journals.

Jamar Johnson

I want to thank my classmates for

believing in me and giving me

courage to do the work. Lastly, I

would like to thank my family for

trusting and supporting me.

Nathan Jones

Nathan Jones

First of all I want to thank Project

SEARCH for allowing me to

become independent. I never

thought that I would learn the

skills and discipline to become a

successful worker, but with time

and effort I achieved this goal.

Project SEARCH also allowed me

to develop hands-on skills through

my internships.

Nathan Jones

In addition, this opportunity has

helped me develop my social skills

so I can talk with co-workers,

supervisors, and friends. All of

this has prepared me well for

getting and keeping a job when I

leave the program.

Project SEARCH has given me the

tools to become a success at work.

I want to thank my job coaches, my

teachers, and my co-workers for

helping me at Project SEARCH.

Laquinn Kane

Laquinn Kane

Hello, my name is Laquinn Kane,

and I would like to thank Project

SEARCH for teaching me many

great lessons. I learned to be

independent, respectful of others,

and stay on task while on the job.

Before I came to Project SEARCH I

was unsure of what I wanted to do,

but with time, I have found a

career path that I can succeed in.

My goal is to become employed and

be able to live independently when

I leave Project SEARCH.

Mali Mussa

Mali Mussa

My favorite thing about Project

SEARCH is being able to improve

my job skills throughout the school

day. The job coaches and teacher’s

training and encouragement made

me feel good about myself and

grow as a person.

My first internship was at the

University of Maryland Paint

Shop. My coworkers and job coach

taught me how to do data entry of

work orders and showed me the

proper painting techniques.

Mali Mussa

At my next internship in the

HS/HSL mailroom I was

responsible for sorting the mail

and distributing it to different

departments. I had a lot of fun

with my supervisor and coworkers.

My final internship was with the

University of Maryland

Housekeeping department. I now

understand the importance of

maintaining a clean work place for

everyone on campus.

Mali Mussa

I want to thank my coworkers, the

entire Project SEARCH staff and

especially my fellow students.

When I first arrived at Project

SEARCH the students chose me

as Student of the Month. They

made me feel very welcome and

comfortable in this new

experience.

Mali Mussa

I especially want to thank the

program manager for finding me

at Mervo, and recommending me

for the program. Finally I want to

thank my guardian and my family

for all of their encouragement. I

feel that Project SEARCH has

prepared me for my adult life.

Ralph Parker

Ralph Parker

Hello, my name is Ralph Parker,

and I first want to thank Project

SEARCH for teaching me good

work habits and how to be

independent. Before coming to

Project SEARCH, I was not as

independent of a person. Now

because of the social skills I

learned at Project SEARCH, I am

a much more independent person.

Ralph Parker

While at Project SEARCH, I

interned as a housekeeper, office

assistant, and linen tech. These

internships taught me how to

work on my own.

Without Project SEARCH I would

not have an opportunity to get a

great job. Thank you from the

bottom of my heart.

Renee Ross

Renee Ross

I want to thank Project SEARCH

for giving me the chance at having

many great internships. While I

was here the teachers and staff

helped me greatly and I

learned many social skills. One

thing that Project SEARCH has

taught me is the ability to calm

down and not get too excited.

Renee Ross

My favorite internship was

working at the Law Library

because I got to use my computer

skills. I have decided that I would

like to work with computers after I

graduate. Lastly I want to thank

everyone I worked with at my

internships and all of the staff and

teachers at Project SEARCH.

Brittany Stanley

Brittany Stanley

I would like to take this

opportunity to thank my mother

and the Project SEARCH staff for

believing in me. This has been an

exciting experience for me;

learning a lot of new and different

things about job skills.

I would like to thank the staff for

helping me get a job at Subway. I

am going to miss the people like

Ms. Hill, Ms. Brooks, Mr. Jones

and Mr. Bard.

Athalie Weathers

Athalie Weathers

I would like to say congratulations

to my fellow classmates who are

going out into the real world. I

want to share some of my

reflections of my experiences in

the Project SEARCH Program.

I learned many new transition

skills. I now use public

transportation to get to work. I

demonstrated self-advocacy skills

by speaking up for myself at my

IEP meeting. My confidence in

myself is stronger than it was

before I came to Project SEARCH.

Athalie Weathers

I practice business etiquette by

making positive first impressions

in the classroom, at my internship

job sites and in the community.

It has been a pleasure working

with everyone and thanks for all

that you do. A special thanks to

my mother for allowing me to

enter this program. Last, but

certainly not least, I want to

thank Ms. Gillis for making

learning fun.

Shantel Weaver

Shantel Weaver

Hello, my name is Shantel Weaver

and I would like to thank all of the

staff at Project SEARCH for

teaching me many things.

One of the most important things

that I have learned is how to get a

job. Project SEARCH showed me

how to become more independent

as an adult.

Michael Willoughby

Michael Willoughby

I would like to say thank you to

the Project SEARCH program for

giving me the opportunity to be a

part of this great experience.

Thank you for teaching me the

necessary skills to work in a

variety of settings. I learned how

to file, scan documents, clean IV

pumps, and how to properly clean

the University’s facilities. These

skills will help serve as a

foundation that I can use for

future employment.

Michael Willoughby

I would like to give a big thank

you to entire Project SEARCH

staff and all of my coworkers and

supervisors. You all have been

very patient with me. You took

the time to show me how I could

do anything that I put my mind to.

You taught me that being on time

for school is important and it

shows that I am responsible.

Michael Willoughby

Ms. Gillis, you taught me that

getting along with others is a way

to show and give respect. Ms.

Murphy, you taught me that if I

take my job seriously, my

coworkers will take me seriously.

Ms. Truesdale, you taught me to

use my voice, speak out loud and

let the person hear what I am

saying.

Michael Willoughby

Mr. Kinling, you taught me how to

sort through the mail with

Donmonic. Sorting the mail is a

responsible job because it makes

sure that the right person gets the

right mail. Thank you to my

parents, family, friends, the

Claremont team and everyone at

the Sought Out Hope Center.

Delaka Winstead

Delaka Winstead

I would like to thank all of the

Project SEARCH staff for helping

me to learn about job skills and

responsibilities for the future.

Learning about self-advocacy is

important because now I know

how to speak up for myself.

Also, I want to thank all of my

supervisors and coworkers at

Campus Mail, Facilities

Management – Housekeeping, and

Business Administration for

allowing me to work as a student

intern.

Delaka Winstead

My knowledge, skills and abilities

now include sorting mail, using

the computer to identify employee

locations for mail delivery,

cleaning different locations, and

scanning documents to help save

our natural resources.

I would like to congratulate all of

my peers who are graduating

today.