Temecula Valley High School has a new club teaching students how to conserve water and the soil through agriculture called regenerative farming, and they hope to rebuild the Earth, starting in their own backyard.But to be a successful restaurant, the food has to be good.
"The garden and everything at Cal State Fullerton is more than just a garden and agriculture," said supervisor Roy Reid."It's actually growing people and food." Monkey Business Café's collaboration with U-ACRE and Cal State Fullerton gives the kids in the program an opportunity to do more than build a resume and find transitional housing.
"Seeing yourself in higher education is something that's big because they're working around university students," said Professor Sara Johnson, director of U-ACRE."Many are thinking, 'I can do that too. I'm building my confidence and I'm seeing myself in a new way.'" Ashley Robinson spent 4-5 years in foster care and has now worked at Monkey Business Café for almost two years. Having just graduated high school, she's been accepted to Cal State Fullerton."Having my job here is what got me to consider Cal State Fullerton as a school," she said."At first I was a little reluctant to, but it kind of got me on the path that I really think now that I needed to be on.