“What did you do at school today?” is a pretty common question students hear when they get home.  “Build a house” is not a very common answer, but that’s exactly what thirty students from Dan Plummer’s carpentry class have been working on for almost a year.  This is the fourth house project that Plummer and his students have undertaken.

Since last spring, he and his students have been putting countless hours into the project.  They’ve been going to the house almost everyday, weather permitting.  But some days they just have to work through the bad weather. “The hardest part of the house project is probably working in the really cold weather,” according to sophomore Hunter Anderson.

Plummer loves the experience that his students get working on this project.  “I definitely see a lot growth in these students. Some more than others,” said Plummer.

Of course, being students, they don’t get everything right the first time.  It’s a learning process. “Once, it literally took me 45 minutes to hit a nail in the wood!” said sophomore Dylan Osterhout.

But the students also enjoy the hands on experience they get working on the house project. They’re learning how to frame and construct a house from the ground up.  According to senior Chuck Beard, these experiences will help when they have to maintain a home of their own.

“They learn a lot about job experiences and different opportunities,” said Plummer.

The house they are building is story and a half tall and will have two and a half bathrooms when completed. It’s about 1,800 square feet and will cost an estimated $180,000. Plummer expects the house to be finished the fall of 2017.

“I’d say the hardest part of working on this house, is getting all of the students on the same page,” said Plummer.

At this point they have the first floor done and have a staircase leading to the second floor. The roof is going to be put on soon. Once completed the house will be sold by the school district.  

Mr. Plummer currently lives in one of the houses his students built.  About half way through building his first house, Plummer knew that he’d be purchasing the home.  

Not many students can say they built a house at school, and not many teachers can say they live in a house built by their students. But that’s exactly what Dan Plummer and his students have done, and are doing right now.