The South Whidbey Commons is doing some unusual things.

Its teen work training expanded in the dining area. From morning to afternoon three days a week, people learn to prepare various entrees.

Keppi Ross makes crepes Thursdays. Huevos rancheros are cooked by Alex Jeffers and Sean Morphew on Fridays. And Saturdays, Mark Moeller leads the team that prepares made-to-order omelettes.

Mary Bullock is helping the Commons develop a new menu and training curriculum and created the action stations. Portability of the stations will eventually let the Commons use them for catering.

The classroom, formerly an uninsulated storage attic, is where trainees learn skills from slicing produce to customer service. Thanks to Boeing employees, the attic was renovated for teaching space.

“As the dust settles and our training room construction and kitchen expansion wind down, we’re excited to begin implementing our new training program,” says Kathleen McCoy, training supervisor. “Trainees will not only learn customer service and food preparation, they’ll learn the life skills they need to navigate in the world.”

Sean Leisle, a high school senior and participant in the training program, said in a news release, “I’ve worked for a few months at the Coffeehouse now, and I can honestly say that I have never had so much fun working. I’ve learned a huge number of new skills and have been able to hone them and teach them to others.

“It’s gotten me so much more involved in the community. Since I started in the winter of last year, I’ve made countless friends, started more hobbies and learned more skills than I ever thought possible.