Parkside Students Built Home With SNHS Provides Real World Experience

SALISBURY, Md. – A 1200 square foot, 3 Bedroom/2 bath home is currently being built by the hands of some unusual contractors: Carpentry students at Parkside High School. “Their first day of school they show up and there’s just a pile of lumber,” Carpentry Instructor Blair Ritchey said.

“Then from there we just kind of go out and start getting our hands dirty, cutting wood, assembling, and kind for building to the prints.”

This year’s project marks the 15th house built by Parkside carpentry students.

The partnership with Salisbury Neighborhood Housing Services, which stretches back more than two decades, allows students to get real world experience by assisting the non-profit with completing new construction projects at an affordable price. “The future homeowner is getting a brand-new house that’s being built with pride and love,” SNHS Director Cheryl Meadows said.

This year’s marks the return of the project as it was paused due the COVID-19 pandemic. These students started their journey with virtual learning, but despite the unusual start their determination prevailed.  “We’re just doing it on our own. There’s no help really from the adults. Our teachers teach us what to do and we go out and perform,” Parkside Junior Storm Hartman said.

“I didn’t realize before how much wood, planning, and what certain things go into building. This has really helped widen my understanding on construction,” Parkside Junior Glenny Vites said.

By end of the school year these young builders will have checked off everything from flooring to electrical components and giving the home its first coat of paint.

Instructor Blair Ritchey says students don’t just take their tools belts off once the project is completed. “Like Tyler Builders, Habitat for Humanity, Messick Construction, they grab students right out of the class and give me another real-world experience and they get paid,” Ritchey said.

“It’s a huge task to go through and build the house but in the end the reward is awesome.”

The home is expected to be completed by May.

Professional movers will then transport the home from school grounds to a vacant lot on Tilghman Street in Salisbury where it will then be sold.

Article relayed from 47 ABC. Linked here.