STOCKTON, Calif. — For four hours Thursday, the parking lot in front of the San Joaquin County Office of Education turned into a marketplace and an outdoor classroom for dozens of special education students.
Students enrolled in special education programs across the county gathered at the South Stockton facility to host a farmers market featuring handmade and hand-grown items.
Kassandra Barboza, enrolled in Stockton Unified's young adult program, spent the morning selling handmade paintings and decorations while thinking about an idea for the future.
"I want to make my own business," said Barboza. "Kind of like this, making stuff and then selling it."
That's part of the goal, according to Frank Souza who leads the Office of Education's workability program, which was behind the farmers market event.
"It gives vocation skills," said Souza. "They've been growing and harvesting all school year long. They've been working on all the projects all school year long in preparation for this."
According to Souza, some students who participate in the event eventually go on to sell at other markets. Others take advantage of different services offered by the program, including being placed in paid job positions at local businesses.
"Selling this stuff is a really great opportunity for me," said Shane Terrill, a Manteca Unified Young Adult Program student. "This is only my second year at this program/school. It's just been a really great opportunity."
With each baked good Terrill sold, money was being raised for his program, including future field trips. It's what Stockton Unified student Tristan Ramos was looking forward to as he sold items alongside Barboza.
"We have all kinds of stuff," said Ramos. "We make donations for our school to go on different trips like Great America, the Grand Canyon, universities, stuff like that."
Even with the field trips in mind, Barboza said she is looking forward to something even farther in the future, made possible by some of the skills she learned Thursday.
"(I want to) help out paying the bills at the house to say 'thank you for everything you've done for me,'" said Barboza. "It's a great experience for me, I'm going to need a lot."
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