Students at Sedro-Woolley High School in Washington State are ditching the traditional woodshop projects for something a little more hands-on: Building tiny houses for their homeless neighbors.

Students in the school’s Core Plus Construction class have been building the homes from the ground up in a partnership with the Low Income Housing Institute in Seattle. 

“We have four tiny homes this year,” instructor Daniel Caldwell said in a press release for the school district. 

“These are continuing from last year and the previous year. LIHI works with Lowe’s, and they drop off the supplies to build all of the tiny houses. We order four at a time. They drop off all the materials, and the students build them. Once we’re finished, LIHI comes to pick them up and drop off more houses for us to build.”

LIHI is a homeless solutions nonprofit that has been building tiny house shelters since 2015, as a response to the homelessness crisis in Seattle and neighboring cities. 

The student-assembled homes are placed in communities operated by LIHI, many of which are in the heart of Seattle. Individuals are then assigned to the temporary structures, with central facilities, like kitchen, bathrooms, and laundry services are available to share.

“Tiny houses offer tremendous benefits over tents – they are safe, weatherproof and lockable,” the organization shares on its website. 

“[They] allow program participants to reclaim their dignity and get on a path to permanent housing, employment and connection to supportive services.”

But the benefits go beyond shelter.

The hands-on project is a game-changer for students, who get to learn practical construction and problem-solving skills, as well as invaluable safety awareness.

“Overall, I would say the best skills they’re learning are problem-solving and safety,” Caldwell said. “If some of them want to go into construction, this is a great first step, but even if they don’t, most people want to be able to work on their house, make improvements, handle tools safely, and feel more confident.”

One student, senior Kylin Chance has taken two years of welding and is one of two girls working on the home-building project. 

“There’s always something to do, and it keeps me busy,” Chance said. “I’ve learned about different tools, like a hand plane and a handheld saw. They’re making me do a lot of the finishing work because I have a steadier hand.”

In total, 20 students in class work on the homes every day, building under the school’s stadium bleachers. The homes are painted in royal blue and white — Sedro-Woolley’s colors — to bring a little school pride into Seattle.

“(It’s rewarding when the students) realize they’re building something that’s going to someone in need,” Caldwell told GoSkagit.

Plus, it’s much cooler than math or history.

Chance added, “It’s fun to hang out with friends and learn how to build houses.”

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Header image courtesy of Low Income Housing Institute