From The San-Diego Union Tribune:
In about a year, someone needing shelter could be living in a tiny house built by 25 Poway Unified high school students who spent the month before classes resumed on Wednesday learning the basics of construction.
Some said they came into the free four-week Career Technical Education Builders Bootcamp workshop held at Mt. Carmel High School with exposure and experience with carpentry and home repairs. Others joined with no knowledge and had to learn how to use basic tools.
But regardless of how much practical skill and knowledge they brought to the workshop, together they constructed a 160-squarefoot
house on a trailer that is ready for the next steps. These are plumbing, electrical and interior finishing touches to create the sleeping
area, kitchen and bathroom. It will include a water heater, small air conditioner and heater.
That work will occur as an after-school activity throughout this school year at Poway High. While based at that campus, just like the workshop, high school students districtwide will be able to participate. Several of the students who were part of the summer workshop said they would like to be a part of the after-school program if their schedule permits.
An open house was held to show off their accomplishment last Thursday at the PUSD headquarters in Carmel Mountain Ranch when the tiny house was parked in front of the district office for a few hours. School officials, parents and community members were able to tour the house and speak with several students about their experience.
“I’ve always been interested and hands-on with building,” said Westview High senior Bryce Nisly. “When my mom saw the post on Instagram (announcing the workshop) it looked really cool. It’s been a great experience.”
Nisly said he came to the workshop with some skills since he helped his father renovate their home. “I’ve been fixing things here and there … but learned a lot more (this summer), like how to frame a wall and put sheet metal on a roof. I was familiar with every tool (already) and have used them.”
Nisly added, “Having experience with tools is a great thing to know because if your sink breaks or anything
happens in your house … you could hire a plumber or carpenter and spend $300 or save money and have fun along the way.”
“I’ve been interested in design and architecture since I was little,” said Jennifer Tsaur, a Del Norte High senior. “I have not had an opportunity for a hands-on experience before. When this program came up, I was immediately interested.”
Tsaur added, “I came here as a beginner and learned everything in construction, like how to use a circular saw and a table saw … to cut wood . … (Also) how to plumb, making everything straight.”
“It’s been pretty fun,” said Cristoforo Martinez, a Del Norte High freshman. “I’m really good at painting. I learned how to glue panels, which was really hard.
“I also learned patience and communication skills,” Martinez said. “If you do not have that with people (you are working with), you can mess up really bad.”
Jeremy Martin, a CTE specialist, said previous class projects at some Poway Unified high schools included building sheds, but nothing as extensive as a tiny house that when complete will be a structure someone can live in as a permitable auxiliary dwelling unit.
“Our goal is to finish it and sell it to an organization helping with the housing shortage crisis,” Martin said.
CTE officials are also hoping to turn this workshop experience into a building and construction trades course at Poway High for the
2022-23 school year, Martin said. “This year was momentous … our goal is to use it as a way to market the pathway and engage with students to build excitement and interest by bringing it to high schools and middle schools.
“When we sell it, we can reuse the funds to build another,” Martin added.
According to Martin, a unique aspect of the summer workshop was that all the students were required to obtain their Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) 10 certification through an online program before the workshop began. With that safety certification he said all the teens have the basic credential to work on a construction site.
Joe Ismay, who teaches the shop and Gateway to Technology classes at Meadowbrook Middle School was the workshop’s lead instructor. He obtained the house’s basic kit and plans from California Tiny House, a company based in Fresno. Ismay said PUSD paid $19,000 for the basic kit, and raw lumber was purchased locally.
“When I saw the tiny house company it looked like an amazing opportunity,” Ismay said. “The hands-on benefits for everyone involved is that it teaches all the different trades within construction.”
Ismay said there are a lot of benefits to students who learn construction. “I’ve done lots of construction,” he said. “It is how I got through college.” Ismay said his bachelor’s degree is in industrial technology.
“(The students) amazed me with how motivated they were to work hard every day … and they paid attention,” Ismay said.
Since the students received their OSHA safety certification before the workshop began, Ismay said they were able to go straight into construction skills. Their first project was to take apart old pallets and reuse the wood to make a tool crate for each student. By the time they finished, they had learned the basic skills of woodworking. The school district lent the tools students needed for the workshop, but they get to keep the crates they made.
“It was great to watch them get to know each other, solve problems … talk and share,” Ismay said.
“It’s been a crazy adventure to make it to the finish line today,” he added.
Bruce May, a retired Twin Peaks Middle School teacher, said he volunteered to help with the workshop because “I missed kids and helping them learn. Everyone learned new things and had done nothing of this magnitude (before).”
The workshop was one of seven Poway Unified offered high school students this summer as part of an enrichment program. Others focused on movie production, automotive skills, fire science plus college and career readiness. In all, more than 200 students were involved in the high school summer programs made possible through a mix of COVID relief funds plus partnerships with businesses that gave donations of supplies and services, per district officials.