National Honor Society (NHS) students helped build a new home for a Wichita family with Habitat for Humanity on March 1 and 2.
El Dorado High School NHS President Annabelle Wise wanted the group to have more of a community impact this year, so she Googled “what teens can do in the community.” The top suggestion was to volunteer for Habitat for Humanity.
After looking into the details and talking to NHS sponsor Todd Miller, Wise decided it was something she wanted to organize during her presidency.
“The only thing I did was coordinate the transportation,” Miller said. “Annabelle did all of the research, got volunteers organized, and worked with Habitat for Humanity to set everything up. She even took care of ordering everyone’s lunch!”
Wise said that the people with Habitat for Humanity were really easy to work with and that Dana Korkki, General Contractor for Habitat for Humanity, was an excellent teacher. He taught them more than just the basics and gave them space to learn. For the radon motor, he gave them the parts and instructions and allowed them to work through the process, only stepping in if they asked for help.
“It was cool to be given that trust,” Wise said. “The whole team was amazing.”
Many student volunteers had never used power tools before, but it did not take them long to learn. For several, being entrusted to use tools like the saw or air nailer was their favorite part of the job. Other students shared how meaningful it was for them to hear the family’s story and know that their time and efforts were going to help that family.
Our student volunteers did more than just show up; they truly put in a hard day’s work. They exceeded Korkki’s goal for the first day and completed everything on day two’s list by lunchtime. That afternoon, they were completing items on Friday and Saturday’s to-do list.
“They’ve all done really well and we’re very thankful for them,” Korkki said. “They are hardworking kids and I couldn’t have asked for a better group. They also showed a high ceiling of problem-solving abilities.”
Students cut materials, placed plywood on the roof and safe room walls, built and installed the radon motor, installed the plumbing and kitchen vents, taped the exterior insulation seams, sealed windows, installed doors, and placed the siding on the outside of the house.
One of the perks of helping with the early stages of construction was that students were able to sign their name on a stud or piece of paneling. Although sheet rock and paint will eventually cover it up, the students will know it is under there. It is a neat way to leave their mark on the project.
EHS teachers Todd Miller and Roger Briggs accompanied the students and helped them with the build.
“I’ve enjoyed working with the kids outside of the school setting,” Briggs said. “You learn way more about their personalities.”
Korkki said there are six or seven project sites at any given time during the year, and there are typically volunteers at three sites at a time. All Habitat for Humanity houses are on a 0% fixed interest rate for the mortgage.
Families must apply, show need, have the ability to pay the mortgage, and show a willingness to partner and provide sweat equity in the construction of the house. They are also required to do financial literacy training and are assigned a budget coach to help teach them ways to stay on track financially. It takes about a year to get through the application process. A three-bedroom house typically runs around $450 per month for the mortgage and insurance.
Families are able to accept or decline proposed locations and are given several options on the house itself. While the number of bedrooms is decided by the committee based on family size and needs, families can choose from a selection of heights for the house, exterior colors, between two interior wall colors, and the color of their cabinets.
For more information about Habitat for Humanity, please visit their website: www.wichitahabitat.org.
Day 1 Crew
Day 2 Crew
