Hands-on Learning As Students Craft Habitat For Humanity House

SARTELL (WJON News) -- Some area high school students are getting hands-on work experience while helping others this school year. Seniors at Sartell-St. Stephen High School are building a house for Habitat for Humanity. It is the 5th year the school has helped to build a house, but this year the home is being built on-site instead of on the school grounds.

Technology Education teacher Joe Schulte says building on-site saves about $25,000 for the future homeowner and streamlines the entire process:

"We had to change a lot of things, put things out of order in the natural building process in order to build at the high school, and then have the house moved, so this has just streamlined that into what would be a normal build process, and it gives kids a more realistic experience."

Schulte says students learn how to frame, roof, drywall, install trim, and more. Senior Blake Swenson says they get to learn a lot while helping a good cause:

"It's a good experience to have for future careers and stuff, depending on what I do for college, but it's just a lot of good experience, and we get a lot of different things to do, so a lot of versatility with the work that we are doing."

The school partners with the St. Cloud Technical and Community College to do the plumbing and electrical work. The kids work on the home during their normal class time and can walk to the site because it is only two blocks away.

Schulte says it is a big advantage to be able to work on site just like a real construction crew, and they couldn't do it without a lot of support:

"In 25 years, I've never felt more supported with an endeavor than with this house build, and that's from our community partners to our school district, admin team, and fellow teachers, and just with students who have stepped up. We continue to get the right kids and the kids who want to learn and do this for the right reasons."

Schulte says they already have plans for a sixth house next school year, and it will be on site again. He says it is a great program for both the students and those who need a little help in getting into a new home.

READ MORE FROM AUTHOR PAUL HABSTRITT