Kelly Rockey is a teacher in the Adult Transition and Young Adult Program, which is part of the Manteca Education & Training Center.

She used Friday’s Worknet Center Job Fair held at the Manteca Unified School District office complex to get students in her secondary education program to once again operate the portable ‘But First, Coffee’ cart on loan from the San Joaquin County Office of Education.

“We can only have (the coffee cart loaner) for 10 weeks at a time,” said Rockey, who last had her Adult Transition students – they’re of high school age – working together in the food service endeavor since October.

They were there to provide that morning pick-me-up along with other refreshments and snacks to those attending and working the job fair held in the nearby quad area. All proceeds will go back to the non-profit business, according to Rockey.

Students from the alternative high school placement program will continue the coffee cart operations at the MUSD complex for the upcoming weeks.

They’ll set up shop in the district office lobby on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.

Rockey indicated that this small business is yet another way for her students to learn both work-training and life skills.

Students from the program are also involved in the Ag Greenhouse operation.

That’s the state-of-the-arts facility that once stood dormant for nearly 10 years.

Earlier in the school year, the old greenhouse was gutted and refurbished with a controlled temperature environment, featuring the hydroponic production method allows for plants to grow in a nutrient solution.

All this benefit students in the Manteca Adult Transition Program.

They’re continuing to learn about the many facets of agriculture, from seeding and growing to harvesting and marketing.