Wylie High School construction students are putting classroom skills to work in a project making a difference for families across the Abilene community.
KTXS recently visited Wylie High School to spotlight a special partnership between Wylie ISD construction students and Houses for Healing.
The story, reported by Kayla Hamlett of KTXS, takes viewers inside the project and features interviews with Wylie students and staff about what it means to use skills learned in the classroom to help families facing long-term medical care.
Watch the video interviews and read the full KTXS story here.
Students Building With a Purpose
Abilene, Texas — Wylie ISD construction students are helping build tiny homes for families and patients who need long-term medical care, partnering with Houses for Healing to turn classroom lessons into hands-on work that benefits the Abilene community.
Wylie ISD sophomore Caleb Houston said working on the homes has been meaningful. “For it, it just felt good because a lot of these people don't have homes and we're building something for people to have a life in,” Houston said.
Construction teacher Ben Hudman said students are able to see the real-world impact of their work while still in high school. “This project has really, like, brought it home that, like, their impact even in high school can make a difference in their community,” Hudman said.
From the Classroom to the Job Site
Hudman said his students handle one of the earliest and most critical parts of the build: framing. “So, Houses for Healing comes to us. And they gave us offset plans and we do mainly the framing aspect. So we'll frame all on the slab where they can then jack it up, put it on a truck, and then take it to the slab that they have at the actual location, and then lower it back down and they'll have their frame and sheathing all done and ready for them to keep working on it,” he said.
For Hudman, the mission is also personal. “I've had personal family that have had to use these types of homes before, and it really, it takes one load off of their — or a weight off of their shoulders, I should say. And it's just one last thing that they have to think about,” he said.
A Mission With Personal Meaning
Wylie ISD Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction Teri Hagler said he and his wife also understand the need for support during a medical crisis. “My wife and I experienced that back in 1989. And we know how important it is to have an organization such as Houses for Healing to support you in such a time of need,” Hagler said.
Hagler said their family’s experience with having a child in the NICU later led them to get involved with Houses for Healing. “My wife and I felt led to contact Houses for Healing. We got ahold of Brian Massey, and we thought that we might want to possibly build a house for parents who have children in the NICU,” he said.
Hagler said community support helped make that goal possible. He said about $27,000 was raised in three months to cover materials, and then Wylie ISD’s career and technical education programs helped with the build.
“We got our CTE courses out at Wylie involved. Ben Hudman over building trades, Clay Vaughn under the electrical trades. They brought the kids out last spring and we framed the house and did the electrical work,” Hagler said.
Making a Difference in Abilene
That home is now part of the Houses for Healing community on Abilene’s north side. Hagler said there are already about 20 homes providing a place to stay at no cost for people who need long-term medical care, and five homes planned in the next phase are intended for NICU families.
“Those kids came out and they learned a trade and not only learned a trade, they did some community service, just like the kids in the CTE program. And they're making a difference in Abilene, Texas,” Hagler said.
The partnership is expected to continue. Hagler said Wylie ISD has committed to building one house every semester.
Story and reporting credit: Kayla Hamlett, KTXS
Watch the KTXS video interviews and read the full story.
