Ingham Insights October 8, 2026
North Star School students are once again preparing to honor veterans through a special Veterans Day tradition. Last year, students recognized 466 veterans, and this year we hope to honor even more!
Community members are invited to nominate a veteran who is important to them. Small United States flags will be placed in their honor on the Mason campus, displayed beneath the larger flag representing their branch of the U.S. Armed Forces. Help us recognize the veterans who have served our country by submitting a name to be included in this year’s display.
And be sure to save the date for our Veterans Day Reverse Parade on November 6, 2026. More information will be available in the coming weeks!
The 2027–28 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is now open. The FAFSA helps students access federal, state and college financial aid for education and training after high school.
Know a student planning their next step? Help spread the word and encourage them to apply early, as some financial aid programs have earlier deadlines.
Learn more and complete the FAFSA at StudentAid.gov.
Michigan has launched a new Youth Employment Permit Portal (YEPP) for young workers and employers who hire anyone under the age of 18. The online portal is designed to make the youth employment permit process easier to navigate. Through YEPP, users can:
Complete the Michigan Youth Employment Permit Application
Learn about rights and requirements for youth workers
Search for employers
Report a potential violation
Access FAQs, troubleshooting guides, contact information and live support
For young people, YEPP provides information and tools to help them get started with employment and better understand their rights in the workplace. This is a brand new system, so employers and families are encouraged to learn more about the YEPP.
Community resources are now easier to find with MI Capital Cares, a one-stop resource for health and human services available across Clinton, Eaton and Ingham counties. Whether you’re looking for food assistance, housing support, health services, transportation or other community resources, MI Capital Cares can help connect you with local options.
The Get Help page uses information from Michigan 211 and organizes resources into easy-to-understand categories, helping residents and those who support them quickly find services that meet their needs.
Visit MI Capital Cares to explore available services and supports in the Capital Region.
BackPack Press shares authentic stories that highlight the people, programs and partnerships strengthening public education across our region. Recent features include:
- Wilson Talent Center students step into the roles of architects, engineers and builders
- Heartwood School’s Touch a Truck creates hands-on experiences for students, and
- Former Project SEARCH interns return to share their employment success.
Together, these stories and more showcase how schools and community partners are working to support students at every stage. Got a great idea? Submit a story suggestion today!
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Education Unpacked Podcast
With 10 episodes available, our Education Unpacked podcast explores timely topics impacting education and the workforce. Conversations range from work-based learning and AI in education to special education law and student transition programs. Each episode features real-world perspectives from educators, employers and community partners, highlighting how collaboration helps create meaningful opportunities for students.