A group of Oconto Falls students is raising the roof for low-income tenants.
The Oconto Falls High School construction crew has been working since the second week in August to build a duplex at 582-584 King St. for NEWCAP. NEWCAP is a private, nonprofit agency that assists low-income residents.
When completed by June 2014, the duplex will provide handicap-accessible, low-income housing. The one-bedroom units are designed for a single person or elderly couple.
Oconto Falls High School tech ed instructor David Heisel said projects like this bridge the gap between the school and the community. Students work on the duplex from 10-11:15 a.m. every school day.
“We hope to finish exterior work prior to winter and then work indoors throughout the winter, doing interior finishing,” Heisel said.
The project is overseen by Paul Mogged, a contractor from NEWCAP, who checks the work on a regular basis.
“This project is a good way to provide quality, affordable housing for low-income people and a fantastic experience and training for students,” Mogged said.
Students are involved in every part of the building process. The plumbing, heating, ventilation, air conditioning, electrical and concrete work are performed by private contractors, but the students are involved as well.
Senior Nick Gering said he likes to learn from the specialty workers on the job. Junior Kyle Sharbonege said he enrolled in the class because he wanted to see if he would like to work construction for a career.
Students who choose this work as a career will do well, Heisel predicted. Even if the students choose a career outside construction, they learn valuable skills to use when they own a home and can complete construction or remodeling work for themselves, he said.
Students are required to write a log every day, using the most technical language as possible to get them comfortable with the process of building. At the end of the week they turn in a written progress report. Heisel said it is important for them to learn to write the technical language for use in completing invoices and other paperwork in the business.
To qualify for this course, students must have completed Woods 1 and Intro to Construction. Some take a summer, on-site building class for underclassmen. Heisel said over half the students who take the prerequisite courses move on to projects such as the duplex on King Street.
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