Wade Clark, Rachel Boyd, Avery Schuler, Mykel Boyd, Griffin Cota, Caden Quincy, and Kelli Kobbs

About the Project SEARCH Internship Program

MV Advancements is excited to welcome five new interns to the 2026 Project SEARCH cohort. Project SEARCH is a nine-month, immersive internship program designed to help individuals build workplace skills, gain real-world experience, and prepare for meaningful employment. MVA partners with Friendsview to offer this program. This year’s interns are learning valuable customer service and employability skills through hands-on experiences at Friendsview, and each brings their own goals, strengths, and story to the program.

Meet the 2026 Project Search Interns

Avery Schuler

Avery is entering Project SEARCH after participating in MVA’s Day Support Activities program, where she learned about the opportunity from Kim White-Haynes, Direct Support Professional. This is Avery’s first employment experience, and she’s excited to take the next step. Avery has a strong interest in cooking and hopes to find a job that allows her to work in a kitchen or food-related setting. Through Project SEARCH, she’s building confidence, learning new skills, and exploring what’s possible for her future.

Caden Quincy

Caden lives in McMinnville and independently takes the bus to Project SEARCH each day. He learned about the program while working with Madison Aradine, Employment Consultant, through job development services. Caden has a career goal that is also personal. He hopes to one day work at Vineyard Heights Assisted Living, where his grandma lives, so he can spend more time with her while building a career. Project SEARCH is helping Caden strengthen his customer service skills and prepare for employment in a community-focused environment.

Griffin Cota

Griffin is relatively new to MVA’s Day Support Activities program. Griffin brings previous experience from California, where he lived before moving to Oregon. His goal is simple and powerful: to get a job and continue learning new things. Project SEARCH is giving him hands-on experience and exposure to new skills that support that goal.

Mykel Boyd

Mykel walks to Friendsview each day, already familiar with many residents and staff. He learned about Project SEARCH from his Service Coordinator and is participating in his first service with MV Advancements. Mykel has prior paid work experience as a summer camp counselor and enjoyed working in that setting. Through Project SEARCH, he hopes to build new skills and move toward meaningful employment while continuing to grow his confidence in the workplace.

Rachel Boyd

Rachel lives in Lafayette and brings prior employment experience from Ushio. She joined the program to expand her skill set and prepare for her next steps. Rachel’s long-term goal is to earn money so she can attend college, and she sees Project SEARCH as an important bridge toward that future. By developing customer service and workplace skills, she’s gaining the tools she needs to pursue both employment and education.

Across the board, all five interns are eager to build customer service skills and other transferable skills offered through Friendsview—experiences that will help make them more confident, capable, and competitive in the workforce. We’re thrilled to support them on this journey and can’t wait to see where Project SEARCH takes them.

Learn more about employment services, including Project SEARCH.