BY EMMA STARKS
Gus Andrews realizes a 17-year-old isn't the most likely worker to help build a quarter of a million dollar home.
"But when you look around, this is probably going to be one of the nicest houses on the entire block," the Eudora High School teacher said.
Since August, Andrews has led eight high school students in building a house from square one. This project is the focus of the Technical Trades Program at Eudora High School.
Andrews began developing this program two and a half years ago and the class launched for the first time this year.
Andrews created a hybrid program based off research of other programs from around the country. The goal of the program is to teach students trade skills by building a house from the ground up. The class meets for a three-hour block period each school day on site at 2721 S. Fir Terrace.
The students are involved in the entire process and learn what it takes to build a house.
“They framed up this entire house. I showed them how to build the walls. I only showed them one time. And then I said, ‘OK, the rest is yours.’ And they've done all this. They did it all,” Andrews said.
While the main purpose is to teach trade skills, to the community it has become much more than a class.
“I never really thought about the impact that this program was gonna have on the community,” Andrews said. “It's really had a drastic impact on not just Eudora's community but the surrounding area.”
School officials from Baldwin and Wellsville have reached out about sending students to take the class. Recently, Andrews was approached by a company about the possibility of a documentary about the program.
When Andrews began the program, he took any local trade partners he could get. Now, local companies are offering any materials needed so they can be involved and bolster students’ education.
“This is a real life example of what you can be doing in your future,” Eudora senior Derek Hemel said. “This shows the community that kids want to go into this.”
Hemel came into the program with previous knowledge from his dad’s electrical business, Hemel Electric. Hemel thought the class was a foundation for his future career path.
The class has opened career opportunities for other students as well. Senior Kaiden Horting is considering going to college for HVAC.
“It's given me a lot of new contacts that I never would've known if I wouldn't have taken this class,” Horting said
According to Eudora Assistant City Manager Leslie Herring, the construction market in Eudora has grown considerably within the past few years. The project home is a reflection of the diversity of housing in the community.
While the construction industry is currently flourishing, the number of skilled workers in the industry nationwide cannot keep up with demand.
According to the USG Corp. and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Commercial Construction Index, 61 percent of contractors reported high degrees of difficulty finding skilled workers.
While Andrews hoped the program would help students gain contacts and job placements, he cares more about the work ethic they learn from the experience.
“If I can teach these guys how to have a good work ethic, then I don't care what they go and do later in life, as long as they're becoming a good person in the end,” Andrews said.
The house is expected to finish by May 8 and was sold to David Westerhouse, whose company provided the heating and air systems. Westerhouse originally asked Andrews who was buying the lot next door.
“Gus told me, ‘Well, why don’t you come check out this house?’” Westerhouse said. “My wife and I went and looked at it and liked it and said, ‘Let’s do it!’”
Westerhouse grew up with Andrews and recognizes his quality work.
“I know Gus and I know he’ll do good work and he wouldn’t let anything slide if it wasn’t perfect,” Westerhouse said.
The home will stand as a constant reminder of the commitment Andrews and his students made to both the family living in the house and the community.
“Everybody in the community knows that there's nothing else like this going on around here. So it's always going to be remembered,” Andrews said.
