You have to marvel at what high school students are wanting to do to help others. These high school students, using their very own hands in everything single aspect of building a tiny house, from the measuring and building to the electrical and plumbing was both a rewarding way to help others and they have learned the basics of construction.
Huffman High School students in Birmingham, Alabama, have put their skills to work building a tiny house for a family living in Virginia. The students started the project four months ago and completed it on their own, from measuring and building to electrical and plumbing. The fully completed structure was built on the high school campus, right outside the construction room.
Principal Dr. John Lyons, Jr. called the work “unmeasurable.” “These students have learned so much about construction and about themselves,” he said. “They have worked hard and they have done a great job.”
The students learned how to do it all through the Academy of Architecture and Construction, a program at Huffman High School that teaches students about the construction industry. The program is led by construction teacher Jacques Dean, who said the tiny house was the perfect project for his students.
“The tiny house exposes them to all the different trades from framing to doing the exterior, siding, windows, doors, flooring, electrical, plumbing, roofing,” he explained. “It’s a great way for them to learn about the different aspects of construction.”
Some of the students even found their passion through the lessons. Maurice Teron, a Huffman High senior, says his favorite part was learning about electrical work. “It’s such a delicate process and you need to be very aware of every wire, where it goes, and how it transfers to the building,” he said.
What the students use in the classroom can be applied to their future careers too. Teron says he and his partner named Zay plan to start a renovation and remodeling business when they graduate.
“This program has taught us so much,” he said. “We’re ready to go out into the world and start working.”
The tiny house that the students built will be donated to a family in need. The family has not yet been selected, but Principal Lyons says they are working with a local nonprofit organization to find a deserving recipient.
“We’re so proud of these students,” he said. “They have done a wonderful thing.”
