Fifty-five students from the Lathrop High School Speaker Series recently experienced something far greater than a dealership tour at Phil Waterford’s Manteca Ford on North Main Street.

They received an unforgettable day of encouragement, motivation, life lessons, and a rare behind-the-scenes look at one of the region’s most recognized businesses.

From the moment the charter bus arrived, the atmosphere was electric.

Before the students even stepped off the bus, Phil Waterford Sr. noticed the female bus driver expertly maneuver the large charter bus through the dealership lot with precision and confidence.

Inspired by her professionalism, Waterford boarded the bus, acknowledged her in front of the students, reached into his pocket, handed her $100, and told the students:

“It literally pays to pay attention.”

The students erupted with excitement.

As they exited the bus, every employee at Phil Waterford’s Manteca Ford was lined up cheering and welcoming them into the showroom.

Many of the students immediately found themselves face-to-face with some of the rarest and most exclusive Ford supercars ever produced, creating a memorable first impression few will ever forget.

Inside the customer lounge, students enjoyed a catered lunch from Mr. Pickle’s while hearing stories and advice from dealership leadership and staff.

Throughout the afternoon, students rotated through departments including Service and Parts, Quick Lane, Sales, and Accounting, receiving real-world insight into how a large operation functions together as one team.

Waterford kept the students engaged with meaningful questions and motivational lessons.

At one point, he asked the group:

“What do the most successful people in the world do religiously every day?”

One student quickly raised their hand and answered:

“They make their bed.”

Again, Waterford smiled, reached into his pocket, and rewarded the student with $100.

“I told you it literally pays to pay attention,” he said.

Waterford then explained the importance of discipline and consistency, telling students that making your bed is the first accomplishment of the day.

“And if you happen to have a bad day, you come home to a bed that was already made — and it was made by you,” he told the students.

He also emphasized the value of becoming an early riser and gaining an advantage before the rest of the world begins playing catch-up.

Members of the dealership’s finance and office teams shared practical lessons many students had never heard before.

The students learned about the importance of protecting their credit and how interest rates dramatically impact financial futures.

Staff illustrated the difference between borrowing $30,000 at 0% interest versus borrowing the same amount at 21% APR, helping students understand how financial decisions today can affect their future opportunities.

Service Director Paul Singh and Quick Lane Manager Allen Mota spoke about preventative maintenance and how properly maintaining vehicles helps avoid expensive repairs later in life — another lesson students could apply beyond automobiles.

The dealership’s accounting office, including Tina Tinoco, Valerie Wallace, Alyce Williams, and Sarah McDaniel, explained how every transaction within the dealership funnels through their department using a structured chart of accounts, helping students understand the complexity of business operations.

General Manager Phil Waterford Jr. shared one of the day’s most impactful stories.

He told students that years ago, he desperately wanted to work alongside his father and imagined himself receiving a corner office with a view. Instead, his father placed him in the dealership’s detail department.

For two years, he learned how to wash cars, color sand paint, operate buffers, shampoo carpets, and fully recondition vehicles from top to bottom.

“It was the greatest gift my dad ever gave me,” Waterford Jr. shared. “The gift of hard work.”

Years later, he transitioned into sales, where he leaned heavily on the work ethic he developed early on. He eventually became one of the top sales professionals in the country.

Throughout the event, students heard a consistent message centered around honesty, integrity, discipline, and service to others.

Phil Waterford Sr. reminded students:

“It’s not what you have, it’s what you do with what you have that counts the most.”

For Waterford, community service is more than words.

Every Christmas Eve, the dealership hosts a free breakfast for the community, serving thousands of guests. The dealership also actively supports veterans, participating in one of the largest Memorial Day celebrations on the West Coast and frequently honoring military heroes and veterans for their sacrifice and service.

Waterford has also quietly helped families in need and children battling terminal illnesses throughout the years.

He shared one final story that perfectly reflected the values he hopes young people carry forward.

Years ago, a Lathrop High School student named Matthew Hernandez found a wallet containing more than $2,000. Instead of keeping it, the teenager turned it in.

After reading about the story in the Manteca Bulletin, Waterford tracked the young man down and rewarded him with the hottest holiday gift at the time — a PlayStation 4 — along with a $6,000 college scholarship and a paid internship at the dealership.

Matthew Hernandez was rewarded for something Waterford believes matters most:

Honesty and integrity.

As the incredible experience came to a close, Waterford had one final surprise for every student in attendance.

Each student received a custom Bumpboxx speaker provided by Bumpboxx founder and CEO Rob Owens, along with additional gifts and goodies. Waterford shared that he reached out to his longtime friend Rob Owens and told him:

“I want to do something really special for these kids.”

Bumpboxx knew exactly what to do. The students were overwhelmed with excitement as they left the dealership carrying brand-new speaker boxes and unforgettable memories from a day filled with encouragement, inspiration, and opportunity.

For the students who attended, the event became much more than a field trip. It was a powerful reminder that success is built through discipline, humility, hard work, and service to others.

And perhaps most importantly, that character still matters.