Five teenagers have graduated, but not in caps and gowns. They’ve stepped into their new work uniforms — and are loving it.

“It has taken seven years to get here,” said Sandra Brooks, the director of Jacob’s Ladder, a school for mentally challenged children who strive to be independent. “This has been our goal from the beginning for them to start working.”

They are the first to graduate from the school at 1017 Harrison St., where 10 students ages 11 to 19 are taught the basics so they can care for themselves — and now others.

The student workers are Will Conway, 19, Matthew Grogan, 16, Robin Smith, 19, Porcia Taylor, 16, and Matthew McKay, 18. Will, Matthew Grogan and Robin work at McAlister’s Deli, Porcia is at McDonald’s and Matthew McKay is at County Market, and all the businesses are on Clay Street.

“My heart was about to burst when I helped them fill out their applications,” Brooks said. “Some of them I had taught to write their names. When they got their first checks — if we could have captured their expressions — they were so proud,” Brooks said.

Brooks, who runs the school with part-time volunteers , said everyone involved is delighted with the students’ work ethic and enthusiasm. “They are proud of their jobs, and they are proud of their work.” So proud, in fact, that the students usually like to don their work uniforms hours ahead of time. DeLynn Willard, general manager of McAlister’s, agreed that having the students on board is a good thing.

“They’re so sweet, and they do a good job,” she said. “You don’t have to give them a lot of direction. They’re so willing to learn.”

Willard said customers, too, look forward to seeing the students, who usually work a couple of hours one day a week. “A lot of customers greet them by name,” she said.

At County Market, manager Jerry Stuckey said Matt McKay is on top of keeping the front of the store clean and organized. “He’s doing good and he’s got a good sense” of what to do, Stuckey said. “I was all for it when they approached me.”

The agreements with the businesses have been so successful, Brooks said, she would like to get other businesses involved as another Jacob’s Ladder student may be ready to start working in January. “There are people out there who want our services,” she said.

Each of the workers has a plan for earnings.

“I’m going to put the money in my account and buy a printer,” said Will.

“Well, I’m going to cash mine,” said Robin. The entire group laughed. Matt said he’d like to use some of his money to buy some DVDs.

Will’s mother, Kathy Conway, said she’s just happy to see her son happy.

“He loves it — he looks forward to it every week,” she said. “He loves to go to work.”

The students also give back to the community in ways for which they are not compensated, Brooks said.

Each Tuesday, they sweep the entrance areas to about a half-dozen businesses on Washington Street. The group also dusts books and shelves at the Warren County-Vicksburg Library and assists local churches with tidying up after services.

“It’s just exciting to see” the success, said Elizabeth Bryant, who along with Brooks and several others founded the school.

Bryant’s son, now 18, attended for six years and was one of the original students.

Now, “he’s going to be in a musical and he’s one of the managers on the football team,” she said. “They can learn — just at their own pace,” said Bryant, who lives in Madison.

“I think it’s wonderful — that was our goal all along, teaching them how to be as independent as they can be.”

Conway agreed. “The teachers and assistants did a wonderful job of preparing the kids,” she said. And without the support of the community, Conway said, the school and this latest program wouldn’t have met success.

“I can’t say enough nice things about people in the community — it makes the children feel wonderful,” she said. “The kids are extremely happy about it — they love being out.” Jacob’s Ladder operates on tuition and private donations and receives no state or federal funding.

Bryant said the school was organized in part because many of the parents worried their children would get lost in the shuffle of special education classes at the area’s large schools. Now that the students are established at their jobs, Brooks said the next step will be preparing the students to carpool or to ride the area’s NRoute transportation system to work on their own. Brooks said she’s confident that they’ll be ready to take the next step soon.

Willard said she is planning to team up with the school to sponsor a fund raiser night at the restaurant to benefit Jacob’s Ladder.

Bryant had nothing but praise for Brooks. “She really has done a great job. I call Sandra all the time and thank her.” But Brooks says getting the students to this point has truly been a team effort, with support coming from each family, community organizations including the Vicksburg Kiwanis Club and the hard work of the students themselves.

“It’s everybody’s school,” she said.