BUFFALO, N.Y. — McKinley High School students participating in the school's building trades program recently completed the construction of two livable cabins and marked the occasion with a celebration marking the upcoming removal of the cabins in order to get ready to start their new project.
In a program begun in the early 90s, students learning carpentry, plumbing, electrical, HVAC, and general construction have built small homes and cabins which are then auctioned off to offset the costs of the supplies.
"They have heating they have plumbing, they're fully finished on the inside so they're ready to go," said Joe Benedict, Executive Director of the Construction Exchange, a trade association of contractors which supplied the materials used to build the cabins, and conducted the online auction where each of the cabins sold for $20,000 which will be used to reimburse the cost of materials.
A Job Well Done
"We were very impressed with how much they sold for so the kids' hard work has paid off, and if there's anything left we'll probably do something really nice for them," Benedict said."
"I tell them, it's not my house- it's your house," said McKinley High School carpentry teacher Joe Dennee, one of several instructors who oversaw the student's work.
"I've built 200 homes so I tell the students I don't need the practice, it's for them to get practice. And they take pride in seeing it through from start to finish," Dennee said.
Although the skills students learn are in some cases enough to land them an entry-level construction job right out of high school, many go on to college to learn more about the building trades or seek apprenticeships through local labor unions to become certified tradesmen and women.
"We're here to help those students get some good hands-on experience, and learn a trade," said Benedict.
A Most Valuable Lesson
However, as Senior carpentry student Yaniel Martinez noted, there is more to learn through these projects than how to swing a hammer, wire an electrical outlet, or maneuver a saw.
"This project is basically about working together," said Martinez. "Sometimes it's with students you know, sometimes it's with some you don't, but it's like teamwork."
Martinez, who plans to join the United States Marine Corps following graduation and eventually become a police officer, agreed that learning to work with others will serve him and his fellow students well, no matter what career path they choose.
