Hometown Habitat News

Double your Impact with RoMac Building Supply!

 

Hi Habitat Friends!

My name is Maria, and I’m graduating from high school this spring career-ready thanks to Habitat for Humanity of Lake-Sumter’s Youth Construction Academy.

Today, you can partner with RoMac Building Supply to double your donation and give students like me access to life-changing educational and professional development resources through the Youth Construction Academy.

When you give, RoMac Building Supply will

match every dollar donated in March, up to $20,000!

Your gift helps my classmates and I graduate ready to enter the workforce with the training and education we need to succeed in a thriving industry.

Today, your gift

of $25 will be doubled to become $50!

And your gift of $100 will become $200!

Together with Habitat Lake-Sumter and Romac Building Supply, you can do twice as much. Your donation builds safe, affordable homes and provides hands-on education to students just like me!

Click here to give the gift of a brighter future today! 

Habitat for Humanity Lake-Sumter to Team Up with Local Schools for Construction of 5 Homes

SUMTER COUNTY, Fla. — Students from schools in Lake and Sumter counties are teaming up to help Habitat for Humanity Lake-Sumter to build five homes this school year.

Throughout the school year, September through May, students from The Villages Charter School, Leesburg High School, South Lake High School, and Eustis High School will help construct the homes as part of Habitat’s Youth Construction Academy.

Officials said new classes of students will spend time during the school week working side-by-side with Habitat’s construction staff and professional tradesmen on the projects.

In May, the students and teachers will be included in a dedication ceremony to hand the house keys over to a family in need that has completed Habitat’s Home Ownership program.

The new homes will be located in Bushnell, Leesburg, Mascotte, and Tavares.

Click here to read the full story from Sarah Wilson for WFTV.com

Leesburg students and NAACP work together to beautify, restore building

leesburg high school youth construction academy students 2023

LEESBURG, Fla. — Students and volunteers helped spruce up a building in Lake County this week.

Leesburg High School Construction Academy students worked on a community service beautification project with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.

The project restored the Tri-City NAACP in Leesburg, which was built in 1978.

Students and volunteers pressure-washed the building, sidewalks, and entry signs.

They wrapped the iron porch columns with wood, put crack filler on the walls, and framed out a stone marker embedded in one of the exterior walls.

Teams added a touch of color by painting the building with blue and yellow, the NAACP logo’s color.

Many of the students participating in the project hope to be part of next year’s Habitat team, which partners with Habitat for Humanity Lake-Sumter to build a house for a local family.

Welcome Home: The Brewington Family

Brewington Family Home Sweet Home 2023

On August 22, 2022, Marsha Brewington was told she had been approved to be a future Habitat homeowner, and she was ecstatic. She had not thought about being a homeowner until she gained custody of her grandchildren, but having them under her care, she knew she wanted a home for them.

Marsha grew up in Sanford, Florida. She lived there her whole life until unexpected circumstances, and a giving friend, brought her to Lake County. During this time, Marsha’s daughter was facing difficulties she could not overcome, leading to Marsha becoming the caretaker for her two grandchildren, Kaemon and Demyla. Though they did not plan on becoming their own family, they wanted to make it as complete as possible. So they added Bella, a cat, and she has been an amazing addition.

They have been living in apartments in Leesburg but have had many issues this year. Pipes burst, causing flooding and damages to their personal belongings, as well as AC issues creating mildew on walls, have left them in a less than ideal living situation. Marsha had heard about the Habitat program and the “amazing things they done to help others and change lives,” so when she had the opportunity to apply, she did not hesitate. Marsha is “excited to be a part of the Habitat family” and so far, she said her “experience has been wonderful.” She is looking forward to helping at the build site as much as possible, and she is also interested in volunteering at the ReStore.

The excitement of having a new home is in full swing for her and her grandchildren. Marsha is looking forward to a few things, one being the driveway/garage. She cannot wait for her own parking space. She is also excited about having a porch to watch the “kids be kids” in the yard. Kaemon and Demyla are both thrilled about having their own rooms. Once in the home, the Brewington’s want to have a small housewarming party with family. They also plan on starting a few new traditions: a happiness jar and a monthly picnic in the yard. No matter the traditions that take place in the home, Marsha believes “the memories are already being made.”

On, April 26, 2023, Marsha was surrounded by the Youth Construction Academy students, the Leesburg High School band and cheer team, staff from the City of Leesburg, home sponsor RoMac Building Supply, and many esteemed members of the community.

During the ceremony, the students shared highlights of their experience and expressed gratitude for participating in the program which has taught them many useful skills they may carry into adulthood. The keys to the home were ceremonially passed from one student to the next, through the hands of Don Magruder, CEO of RoMac Building Supply, into Marsha’s excited hands. Passing this significant set of keys marked the completion of this special project and ushers in a new chapter in the life of the Brewington family.

New Home Key Presentation For Habitat For Humanity In Mascotte

sankey family dedication 2023

The students and faculty of South Lake High School’s construction academy recently turned over the keys to a new home in Mascotte.  The build was sponsored by Habitat For Humanity Lake-Sumter, FL and many local community support partners.  New homeowner, Latoya Sankey, simply shouted, “I’m excited!”  When asked about the process she added, “Has this been a long road?  In general yes but with Habitat it doesn’t seem like it’s been that long.  It’s been over a year but I also can’t believe that a year ago, I was sticking a shovel in the dirt.”  She is anticipating moving in with her son Mason and daughter Skyla.

Danielle Stroud, Habitat For Humanity Lake-Sumter CEO shares, “This day is the most exciting day of the year.  The day we get to celebrate the students.  For all of their hard work and everything they’ve learned over the course of the year.”  Looking over at Ms. Sankey she continued, “We also get to bless the family as they move on to this next phase which will be moving into the house.” 

Jared Fullerton, construction teacher at South Lake High School shared his perspective.  “We’re here at the third dedication ceremony we’ve had.  This is a great program working with Habitat For Humanity.  I’m super proud of the students and all the community support we’ve gotten.”  He shifted to thoughts of the Construction Academy program at South Lake High School.  “This is one of the best learning environments for students that want to be in construction.  Without our partners and the students’ dedication, this doesn’t happen.  We are excited to start our fourth house next year.  The program has just gotten more and more popular at school.  This year I had the greatest application numbers for students that want to be in this program.  It’s nice to see the excitement taking place at school.” 

Click here to read the full story by Marty Proctor, South Lake Tablet

Student-built homes bolster community

Victoria Duket, left, wipes her tears as her mother, Debbie Duket celebrates alongside Aidan Campbell, a VHS Construction Management Academy student, during the their new home’s dedication ceremony. With help from Habitat for Humanity of Lake-Sumter, students built the house. Rachel Stuart, Daily Sun

Victoria Duket, left, wipes her tears as her mother, Debbie Duket celebrates alongside Aidan Campbell, a VHS Construction Management Academy student, during the their new home’s dedication ceremony. With help from Habitat for Humanity of Lake-Sumter, students built the house.
Rachel Stuart, Daily Sun

It didn’t take long for Debbie Duket to start making plans for her new home.

“First, I’m going to put everything in my kitchen and I’m going to cook to my heart’s desire and have people over to eat,” Debbie said. “I’m so excited about using this kitchen, I can’t even tell you.”

Duket and her daughter, Victoria Duket, and granddaughter, Dylann Duket, are the recipients of one of two houses in Wildwood built by students in The Villages High School’s Construction Management Academy in partnership with Habitat for Humanity of Lake-Sumter.

The dedication ceremony for the Dukets’ home, sponsored by Citizens First Bank, took place April 20, and the ceremony for the McPherson family home, sponsored by RoMac Distribution, happened Monday.

“This isn’t a house, it’s a home,” said Brad Weber, executive vice president and chief lending officer of Citizens First Bank. “And Debbie, this morning you woke up in the place you were living and tonight you get to lay your head down in your own home.”

This is the first time VHS students built two homes in one school year. The program allows them to get hands-on experience in construction while learning the importance of community service.

“It’s a vision in the beginning and they bring it to life,” Debbie said. “With Habitat, the people and the kids, every person involved — they bring it to life.”

VHS student Brett Wilke liked working with his classmates on the project, especially the early stage of putting the framing together.

“It was very interesting — it was fun,” Wilke said. “We learned a lot.”

Wilke said the program has benefits beyond bolstering a future career.

“With this type of stuff, even if you don’t do it for a career, it’s stuff you can do by yourself at your house if something breaks,” Wilke said. “You don’t have to pay someone a bunch of money to fix it, you can do it yourself.”

Though contractors are required to do some of the work on the homes, students work right alongside them.

“It’s a great hands-on experience,” said Pastor Perez, a senior in the academy. “From literally starting from the ground up, starting the framing, all the way up to doing the roofing and the shingles and all that.”

Perez said he enjoyed the experiential form of learning.

“There isn’t a day you’re not learning something different,” Perez said.

At the second ceremony, Shannon McPherson and her son, Devin McPherson, got the keys to their home.

Both expressed appreciation for the work that went into the project.

“I’d come to look at and take pictures (of the home), and there was love and energy when you walked in, even from just the outside,” Shannon said to the students. “I was always seeing all the precision and hard work that you put into our home, and I thank you so much.”

RoMac Match – Double Your Impact!

RoMac Match website blog post 2023

With your help, Caleb has a brighter future.

Today, you can partner with RoMac Building Supply to double your donation and help Caleb obtain valuable vocational skills with Habitat for Humanity Lake-Sumter’s Youth Construction Academy.

When you give, RoMac Building Supply will match every dollar donated in March, up to $20,000!

Your gift helps Caleb graduate high school career-ready, with the training and education to enter the workforce in a growing industry!

Today, your gift
of $25 will be doubled to become $50!
And your gift of $100 will become $200!

Together, we can do twice as much.

Your donation builds safe, affordable homes while providing a hands-on education to the next generation.

Give today to double your dollar and double YOUR impact with RoMac Building Supply!

With Double the Gratitude,

Danielle Stroud signature                                           DONATE NOW

Danielle Stroud
CEO

P.S. Your gift today unlocks the door to better education and a more stable future for Caleb! Will you donate the key?

VHS Academy holds dry-in for two homes

Debbie Duket, right, learns about her new cabinets from members of The Villages High School Construction Management Academy Jake Phillips, left, and Brady Widmann, who are helping to build her Habitat for Humanity home in Wildwood. George Horsford, Daily Sun

Debbie Duket, right, learns about her new cabinets from members of The Villages High School Construction Management Academy Jake Phillips, left, and Brady Widmann, who are helping to build her Habitat for Humanity home in Wildwood.
George Horsford, Daily Sun

Debbie Duket’s 13-year-old granddaughter soon will have her own room for the first time. Duket’s family is receiving one of the homes students with The Villages High School’s Construction Management Academy are building in partnership with Habitat for Humanity of Lake-Sumter. “She and I have shared a room for 13 years, so we are thrilled,” she said. “She wants to decorate.” 

The 27 academy seniors are building two homes this year instead of one — a first for the academy. Students, sponsors and community members celebrated the halfway point of both homes with a dry-in ceremony Friday at the home sites in Wildwood. 

Citizens First Bank is sponsoring Duket’s home, a 1,461-square-foot house with three bedrooms and two bathrooms.

Duket will move in by the end of the school year with her daughter Victoria Duket and her granddaughter Dylann Duket. 

“They’re beautiful homes, well-made,” Debbie said. “And I just feel like there is so much love in it. I got goosebumps walking in it today. It’s almost done. It’s so close.”

Brad Weber, executive vice president and chief lending officer of Citizens First Bank, said projects like this benefit families and communities as a whole. 

“We know it is proven that homeownership brings up the quality of every community,” Weber said. “And that’s why projects like this are so important.” 

Weber also said it is an investment for the students. 

“Not only are we building two homes, and not only are we improving the quality of the community, but we’re improving the quality of our future with these students who work so hard on these homes,” he said. 

RoMac Building Supply, based in Leesburg, is sponsoring the second home, a 1,215-square-foot house with two bedrooms and one bathroom. 

Don Magruder, chief executive officer of RoMac Building Supply, said he looks at the students as the future of the industry. 

“But more importantly, you guys are doing something very important for these families and this community,” he told them during the ceremony. “You’re doing something good and it makes you feel good about this generation coming up.”

The construction projects allow students to work with industry partners and learn all the skills needed to build a home.

They can earn industry certifications while in the academy and gain valuable job experience. 

VHS Construction Management Academy breaks ground on second home

Members of The Villages High School Construction Management Academy participated in a groundbreaking ceremony for the two homes they are building for Habitat for Humanity Lake-Sumter, Florida, in Wildwood. One home is going to Debbie Duket, left, who is joined by her granddaughter, Dylann Duket, 12, and the other home will be going to Shannon McPherson, and her son, Devin McPherson, center. George Horsford, Daily Sun

Members of The Villages High School Construction Management Academy participated in a groundbreaking ceremony for the two homes they are building for Habitat for Humanity Lake-Sumter, Florida, in Wildwood. One home is going to Debbie Duket, left, who is joined by her granddaughter, Dylann Duket, 12, and the other home will be going to Shannon McPherson, and her son, Devin McPherson, center.
George Horsford, Daily Sun

Shannon McPherson could not find the words to express her gratitude. 

She couldn’t even find one word. 

The Leesburg resident and her son, Devin, will live in the second home students with The Villages High School’s Construction Management Academy are building through Habitat for Humanity of Lake-Sumter.

“One word can’t encapsulate it,” McPherson said. “It’s not a single-word journey.” 

She helped moved piles of dirt for her future home during the groundbreaking Wednesday in Wildwood. 

This is the first year VHS Construction Management Academy students are building two homes. Students broke ground on the other home in August. 

VHS Principal Rob Grant said the academy and the partnership with Habitat gives students a snapshot of what it’s like to have a career in construction.

“I hope you all have a great experience. You are going to do what no other class has ever done — build two homes,”  Grant said to the crowd. 

Business partners such as Citizens First Bank, RoMac Distribution and RoMac Building Supply also attended Wednesday’s event.

Justin Cooper, a general manager at RoMac Distribution, spoke about the need for more people in the industry. 

“We need you in the future of building,” Cooper said to students. “I don’t know if you know how important it is, but there is always construction, and there is always building to be done. You guys will play a critical role in that. So, to have young men and young women interested in that — thank you.”

Bruce Haberle,  instructor of The Villages High School’s Construction Management Academy, is proud that students are taking on two homes this year. 

“I think it’s really awesome that, one, we have the manpower,” Haberle said. “And now we have knowledge from the first house to jump into the second house. The kids are doing really well this year.”

Click here to read the full story by

Students break ground on new Habitat houses

Eleventh-graders Benjamin Sylaince, left, and Cason Wiggin, of the Leesburg High School Construction Academy, use a nail gun as they work on the Habitat for Humanity home.  George Horsford, Daily Sun

Eleventh-graders Benjamin Sylaince, left, and Cason Wiggin, of the Leesburg High School Construction Academy, use a nail gun as they work on the Habitat for Humanity home.
George Horsford, Daily Sun

Construction Academies students at Lake County Schools are already moving dirt on this year’s projects. Academies with Leesburg High School and South Lake High School have broken ground on home builds with Habitat for Humanity of Lake-Sumter, and Eustis High School’s takes place today.  Lacie Himes, Habitat for Humanity of Lake-Sumter development director, said the partnership with schools’ academies allows students to learn skills they will need for a future construction career and gives them the opportunity to help a family in need. “One of my favorite things about the program partnership is the service that the kids give,” Himes said. “The acts of service that they do in their week-to-week of school where they come out to participate with us on-site is a really great thing. It gives them a lot of experience in the construction field and a chance to meet and work with different people every time they come out to help.”

Himes said the kids of the construction academy also will learn valuable character building skills such as respect and how they should treat others in a busy, public working environment.

Fourteen students with the academy at Leesburg High School dug their shovels into the ground for the first time last month at the home site. 

“When the kids think about construction and the idea of doing it, I want them to understand hands-on experience can’t be taught, but only learned through continuous repetition,” said Bryan Russ, instructor of the Leesburg Construction Academy. ”I can give them knowledge in the classroom about what it is, but it only makes a real sense when the students are actually on site doing it.”

Click here to read the full article by Faith Callens,

VHS students build homes and dreams

vcs yca groundbreaking with sponsors cfb 2022

With shovels in hand, 26 students heaved the first pile of dirt at the site of their newest home-building project. 

The Villages High School’s Construction Management Academy and Habitat for Humanity of Lake-Sumter held a groundbreaking ceremony Friday for their latest partnership, at 4506 NE 32nd Place in Wildwood. 

“We are here to serve families who otherwise would not have the opportunity to have a home,” said Danielle Stroud, president and CEO of Habitat for Humanity of Lake-Sumter. “So you are really providing a unique chance for them by building a generational home, not just for that family, but also their children.” 

This will be the fifth home built by the Construction Management Academy, with instructors overseeing the students as they are involved in the construction process from the foundation up, including working on drywall, flooring and framing and placing roof trusses. 

Throughout the project, students also will work with area subcontractors and trade professionals, gaining valuable on-the-job experience in the construction industry. 

Savannah Lester, a senior at The Villages High School, said she is ready to get her hands dirty.

“It’s really cool,” Lester said. “It’s a really good experience to learn, definitely as a high schooler and not having much experience, but we are going to learn it in the next year.” 

Lester said she plans to major in business in college and get her general contractor license. 

“I like working with my hands and I like doing things outside,” Lester said. “I was born and raised in construction. It’s something I always enjoyed.”

She is joined by 25 other seniors on this yearlong project,  including Landon Capazzi.

“It’s cool that I get to build a house for someone who needs it,” Capazzi said. “It’s also cool to say, ‘I just built a house’ and it’ll be cool to look back on.”

Capazzi plans to go into construction after high school as a home inspector. 

Click here to view the full article by staff writer Garrett Shiflet of the Villages Daily Sun

Almost Home: Meet the Cepero Family

The Cepero Family 2022

Summer is the time for fun in the sun, but for the Cepero family, it is the time for closing on their first ever owned home. “Thank God we were blessed to have our own home in Eustis,” these are the words of Brenda Cepero, Habitat homeowner (soon to be). She feels blessed to have partnered with Habitat, but Habitat would also say our organization was blessed by her and her family.

Brenda Cepero, 52, has been living in a small Eustis apartment with three people she loves dearly: her daughter, Stephanie, her son, Victor, and Victor’s girlfriend, Angela. As a family, they enjoy each other’s camaraderie during everyday life, especially during family game night. As a family they are growing their careers and working on deepening their education, however, they have never had the ability to purchase their own home. Through conversation, a friend shared Habitat for Humanity’s housing program with Brenda and from there the process began.

Brenda shared that “the application process was easy and went smoothly. I was guided through the process by very helpful Habitat employees…We feel great about our new home…It’s something we’ve wanted to do, but never had the opportunity. Thanks to Habitat for Humanity, we have the opportunity now and we can’t wait.” This sentiment is everything Habitat wants to embody: Habitat, the community, and the people in it coming together to work toward a better future.

With all the positive notes regarding the Cepero family’s process and experience, there still were some construction setbacks. The process to build the home has had its challenges. Construction delays due to timing and issues with procuring needed materials and permits caused inevitable hinderances. Even with the realities that come with a task so large as building a home, the Cepero family put their frustration aside and remained optimistic throughout the obstacles.   

With or without challenges, the unique detail about Habitat and their homeowners it that it is a partnership. With every homeowner there is a relationship made and time spent. Brenda, Stephanie, Victor, and Angela have all assisted Habitat in various ways through the Sweat Equity Program.  Devoting countless hours whether volunteering in the office, assisting in construction projects, working in the ReStore, participating in the Jingle Build Off, attending Women’s Build Events, or painting their own home, they have selflessly poured their time into Habitat’s causes; therefore helping to further what Habitat can do for others. They are another illustration of how a family and Habitat for Humanity are better together.      

As the Cepero family and their home approach the closing date, one of the most exciting details for the family is that the home will be theirs and only theirs. This means they can do with it what they want, specifically, decorating it as desired. They were able to pick the color palette for the interior and they are “excited” to put everything in it that could not fit in the apartment because of space. The family made it clear though, once moved in and decorated, they “are going to party and have some fun.”  They are most excited about making memories in their own home. They look forward to celebrating birthdays, holidays, and anything in between.  Brenda, Stephanie, Victor, and Angela are a family, and now they are also part of the Habitat family.

We were so blessed to partner with them. From Habitat to the Cepero family, we hope you love your new home!

Almost Home: Cynthia and Leah

Hernandez Family 2022 SLH YCA

“My name is Cynthia Hernandez and my daughter’s name is Leah, and we are so excited to start our new journey in our very own home!”

Cynthia Hernandez grew up and resided in Ocoee, Florida until a job opportunity relocated her and her daughter Leah to Lake County 7 years ago. Cynthia and Leah are making a 45-minute commute to and from work and school daily, which is a big part of their day. Being closer to work and school would cut down the hassles of their daily routine and also decrease the added expense of rising fuel cost.

Cynthia says, “Though the time spent together talking about how our day is going to go is great time spent, it does add to the stress of everyday life.”

Homeownership was a goal that Cynthia longed for, but in today’s market, she simply could not afford it. Cynthia had been searching for a place to stay that was closer to work and Leah’s school, but even finding decent rental housing was unaffordable.

Cynthia was growing more and more discouraged until she applied for housing within Habitat Lake-Sumter’s Homeownership Program and received the life changing news of her acceptance! Through the Homeownership Program with Habitat Lake-Sumter, Cynthia and Leah can now look forward to spending less time in the car and more time making memories in their new home!

The mother-daughter duo are ecstatic about being closer to school, work, and friends. 

Although Cynthia admits the thought of such a large move being overwhelming at times, she is excited about becoming a homeowner and learning all aspects that homeownership entails.  

“I know the journey is going to be a little stressful at times, but I’m trying to gather all the tools I’ll need to keep it running smoothly” says Cynthia.

Being closer to school will allow Leah the opportunity to participate in extracurricular activities, attend school events, and spend more time with her friends, which also increases her social development. The two are looking forward to getting to know their new community together and most importantly building a foundation and future in their new home.

“We are so excited to be so much closer to school, work, and friends! It will make it so much easier for us to go to school events and get to know the community that I want her to grow up in” Cynthia explains.

Cynthia and Leah’s home is built through Habitat Lake-Sumter’s Youth Construction Academy in partnership with South Lake High School. Students from South Lake High School spent a class period throughout the school year to help build their home from start to finish.  Students graduate the program career-ready and provide an affordable housing solution for a family each year, the Hernandez Family home is the second house built with South Lake High School. Preparation for the third year of this partnership is currently underway with a groundbreaking planned for the start of the 2022 Fall Semester!  

Hernandez family with slhs yca students 2022

 

 

Around the House: Local construction academies building houses, careers

youth construction academies 2021-2022

The local high school construction academies in Leesburg, The Villages, Eustis, and South Lake had a banner school year for student participation, but more importantly, these young people helped build four homes for Habit for Humanity of Lake-Sumter.

In April and May, the students turned the keys over to brand new homeowners who, if not for these programs, and Habitat for Humanity, would have never been able to own a home. The construction academies in these high schools are a true partnership between the public and private sectors, and many of these students can leave high school with a job in hand. 

The local high school construction academies in Leesburg, The Villages, Eustis, and South Lake had a banner school year for student participation, but more importantly, these young people helped build four homes for Habit for Humanity of Lake-Sumter.

In April and May, the students turned the keys over to brand new homeowners who, if not for these programs, and Habitat for Humanity, would have never been able to own a home. The construction academies in these high schools are a true partnership between the public and private sectors, and many of these students can leave high school with a job in hand. 

Mentorship by local subcontractors and business leaders, along with eager educators, created a learning environment for students, and as a result, next year, the Leesburg Construction Academy has over 300 students signed up for the program and the school is hiring a second instructor to expand other construction scopes like CAD drawing.

Probably, the most important aspect of these construction academies has been the positive effect on the students. To work on these homes students are required to follow workplace rules and standards, and there are strict discipline guidelines for behavior.

Click here for the full article from the Daily Commercial by Don Magruder

Students help fulfill family’s home dream

The Thomas Family with the Villages Charter School students 2022

A local family of five has finally gotten the home it always wanted. On Friday morning, Habitat for Humanity Lake-Sumter and members of the Construction Management Academy at The Villages High School presented the keys to a brand new home in Wildwood to Shane Thomas, Nicole Brandon and their three children. Thomas addressed the crowd at the dedication ceremony. “This means a lot to my family,” he said. “We struggled a lot for a long time, so to be able to have a home that we can call our own — it’s hard to put it into words.” All 13 VHS seniors in the construction academy were involved in various capacities throughout the build, from flooring to the roof’s trusses, to help them get a real feel for the work.

 The Construction Management Academy is just one of multiple academies available at The Villages High School that prepare students for post-secondary education and the workforce.

“These are kids building a home like this,” Thomas said. “It’s amazing, guys.” 

During the ceremony, each student was introduced, and construction academy instructor Bruce Haberle commented on their performance in the program. VHS Principal Rob Grant also was in attendance.

“It’s one of my favorite days of the year as a principal — being able to come out and see the accomplishments of our kids,” Grant said.

Danielle Stroud, president and chief executive officer of Habitat for Humanity Lake-Sumter, spoke about what building and dedicating a home means for students and the community.

“What you guys built here today will last past your time in school,” Stroud said. “And it will continue to invest in families just like you guys.”

The Brandon family put in more than 200 “sweat equity hours,” which included helping out with the build and taking financial literacy courses, Stroud said. 

Habitat for Humanity Lake-Sumter makes sure the housing is affordable with a manageable mortgage.

Click here for the full story by Garrett Shiflet, Daily Sun Staff Writer

Meet Brock Esarey: YCA Student Follow-Up

Building Our Future 2022

 

Brock Esarey is a former student of the Villages Charter School and former participating student in the Youth Construction Academy (YCA). Prior to joining the Youth Construction Academy, Brock was heavily involved in sports. In addition to his schoolwork, being a member of both the basketball and football team kept Brock quite busy, playing the position of quarterback in football and power forward in basketball. Brock is an avid Notre Dame football fan and enjoys fitness and boating.

Although Brock enjoyed playing sports and had done so since he was a small child, as he began his upper high school classes Brock decided to focus more on career building skills.  Brock had always enjoyed handy work. In fact, the previous summer before starting the YCA program, he had a job framing houses with a local contractor. As he was considering the available academic components within his school, he came across the YCA and instantly new it was a perfect fit for him. The most enjoyable part of the YCA program was developing a mentorship with his teacher Mr. Haberle, whom he still calls on anytime he has questions or seeking advice.  Brock admits that the most difficult experience was learning flooring, as the work was very hard on his knees and back. However, he understood it came with the job and was a necessary skill to learn.

Being a part of the YCA has had a tremendous impact on Brock. Since graduating from the Villages Charter School last year, Brock has found a career within the construction industry. Initially, he began doing trim work in the Villages, and is now currently employed as an assistant superintendent for The Villages, an opportunity that he credits to the YCA program. Brock plans to continue pursuing his interest in the construction field and getting his license to become a general contractor and certified builder in the Villages.

Brock is thankful for the opportunities the Youth Construction Academy offered him, to develop career-building skills and training that prepared him for a successful future. The YCA allowed Brock to turn a hobby into a passion, and now a budding career. The YCA not only provided Brock a hands-on learning environment and vocational education, but also allowed him and his fellow classmates the ability to obtain the necessary certifications to secure job placement after high school. Without the support of The Villages Charter School, the YCA Advisory Board, and the support of local contractors, Brock and other students would not have these direct opportunities to gainful employment. Brock encourages the next YCA class to show up with a positive attitude and ready to work because the reward is truly worth it! 

Learn more about the four schools who’ve partnered with us, The Villages Charter High, Leesburg High, South Lake High, and Eustis High, to build homes for local families each school year! Visit our Facebook to follow the students progress from groundbreaking to dedication day, as each school begins a new build in September 2022! 

Leesburg High School students work to build homes with Habitat for Humanity

Leesburg High School YCA Dry-In Celebration 2022

LEESBURG, Fla. — A new home is going up in Leesburg thanks to Habitat for Humanity and the Leesburg High School Construction Academy.

These two groups held an event today to honor the students’ hard work and marked the half-way point for the project.

“This is our third house with Habitats for Humanities, so it’s been a wonderful partnership,” said Dr. Monique Griffin-Gay, assistant principal at Leesburg High School. “The students enjoy what they do. They get to get satisfaction of giving a home to someone else. They give back and they also learn a valuable skill.”

Griffin-Gay also shared that the house is going to a Leesburg High School student.

Students in the class said they plan on building another house next year, right next door.

Click here to watch the video and read the full story by James Tutten, WFTV

Leesburg High construction academy marks halfway point on Habitat for Humanity house

Students from the Leesburg High School Construction Academy show off the house they are building with Habitat for Humanity of Lake and Sumter on Wednesday. [Cindy Peterson/Correspondent]

Students from the Leesburg High School Construction Academy show off the house they are building with Habitat for Humanity of Lake and Sumter on Wednesday. [Cindy Peterson/Correspondent]

LEESBURG — Students in the Leesburg High School Construction Academy showed off their progress on the Habitat for Humanity home construction project on Wednesday.

The academy and nonprofit organization marked the halfway point of the house by hosting a dry-in ceremony, marking the completion of the home’s outer shell and the beginning of interior work. 

The home, located at 933 E. Main St. in Leesburg, is the third home built through their partnership which helps introduce students to a career in construction. 

“This project is really two-fold,” Danielle Stroud of Habitat for Humanity. “We are able to provide affordable housing to a much-deserving family in the community and the students get hand-on experience in building a house from the ground up.” 

Out of around 200 kids in the Leesburg construction program, a group of 12 to 15 students, are selected to work on this year-long project. The kids take part in every aspect of building a house, working alongside industry professionals and seeing first-hand what it takes to enter the workforce. This year’s home is expected to be finished by the end of the school year in May.

“I feel like I wouldn’t be who I am today without this opportunity,” sophomore Breanna Ice said. “When I joined, I thought it would be just hammers and nails. But I’ve built a family and never thought would I ever be building a house. I love knowing I’m able to help people and that this house will be here long after we are gone.”

Ro-Mac Lumber & Supply is this year’s corporate sponsor and the City of Leesburg donated the land for the home. 

Click here to read the full story by Cindy Peterson, Special to the Daily Commercial

Students get tools they need to thrive

Adam Hatfield, a 2020 graduate of The Villages High School, takes inventory of doors at MiCo Customs at the Gov. Rick Scott Industrial Park. Hatfield learned marketable job skills in the VHS Construction Management Academy.  Rachel Stuart, Daily Sun

Adam Hatfield, a 2020 graduate of The Villages High School, takes inventory of doors at MiCo Customs at the Gov. Rick Scott Industrial Park. Hatfield learned marketable job skills in the VHS Construction Management Academy.
Rachel Stuart, Daily Sun

As demand for skilled construction and trade workers climbs, local students who dream of working in these industries are getting a head start. Schools, businesses and organizations give students the tools they need to thrive in these careers through opportunities such as apprenticeships, scholarships and studying in school training academies such as The Villages High School’s Construction Management Academy. “I chose construction as a career because of the academy,” said Brock Esarey, a graduate of the VHS class of 2021, who works for The Villages Residential Construction and Home Warranty as an assistant superintendent. “I wasn’t really sure what I wanted to do before, but once I joined the construction academy I instantly knew construction was what I wanted to do.”

The community needs employees like Esarey — construction jobs make up 9.8% of Sumter County’s employment, with trades, transportation and utilities industries forming 18.2%, according to the Florida Legislature’s Office of Economic and Demographic Research of Florida.

Each year more than a dozen students participate in VHS’ Construction Management Academy. Students earn industry certifications and gain-on-the job experience building homes for Habitat for Humanity of Lake-Sumter’s affordable housing program and working on other construction projects.

Click here to read the full article by

VHS students learn valuable work skills in home build project

Braden Brown, a senior in the of The Villages High School Construction Academy, helps build a Habitat for Humanity home in Wildwood.  George Horsford, Daily Sun

Braden Brown, a senior in the of The Villages High School Construction Academy, helps build a Habitat for Humanity home in Wildwood.
George Horsford, Daily Sun

Seniors are busy hauling trusses and nailing down boards with the Construction Management Academy at The Villages High School.

This year’s home build, in partnership with Habitat for Humanity Lake-Sumter, is progressing quickly.

Bruce Haberle, the school’s construction academy instructor, said he has been quite impressed with the work of his seniors this year.

“It’s been going really great,” Haberle said. “I’d say one of the best years we’ve had. All of them are engaged.”

Haberle said about nine contractors will be on the site throughout the construction.

New show on Leesburg High’s construction academy premiering Sunday

A new LakeFront TV show, "Leesburg Builders Academy," will follow Leesburg High's Construction Academy as students build a new home for Habitat for Humanity.

LEESBURG — A new show is coming to LakeFront TV.

“Leesburg Builders Academy” will follow Leesburg High School’s Construction Academy as students build a home for Habitat for Humanity Lake-Sumter.

The show premieres at 7 p.m. Sunday on LakeFront TV, Xfinity channel 22, PRISM channel 21, Spectrum channel 497 or on Roku or Apple TV.
Around the House:Local high school construction academies need help

Habitat helping vets:Leesburg veteran receives new roof from national Habitat for Humanity, Owens Corning program

Meet Bryan Russ: Leesburg High School teacher and snake hunter

On the first episode, viewers will meet the academy’s teacher, Bryan Russ, and his students. This week’s show will also feature the family who will receive the Habitat house when it’s completed.

The show is sponsored by RoMac Building Supply, whose president, Don Magruder, is chairman of the academy’s advisory committee.

By Katie Sartoris, Daily Commercial

Click here to watch the promotional video!

Around the House: Local high school construction academies need help

A student from the Leesburg High School Construction Academy works on construction a home for Habitat for Humanity in Leesburg in 2020. Cindy Peterson/Correspondent/File Photo

A student from the Leesburg High School Construction Academy works on construction a home for Habitat for Humanity in Leesburg in 2020. Cindy Peterson/Correspondent/File Photo

Four years ago, when the Lake County School System and the Villages Charter High School started making plans to start construction academies, students who wanted to pursue not college-bound programs in construction had no place to go.

After a decade of malaise in the construction industry due to the economic collapse of 2008, an inflection of construction growth collided with an industry in which the base labor had shrunk dramatically because of age and the economy. Simply put, there were not enough people for the construction demand.

It was also during this time in which educators and political leaders began to really discuss the value of a college education and if it would leave the student with unimaginable student debt for a mid-level career. It wasn’t hard to figure out that good-paying jobs in construction were plentiful, and if properly trained in high school or technical school, students could walk into some amazing job opportunities.

The number of students who signed up initially for the academies were low and everything had to be setup and organized. Nevertheless, strong public-private advisory boards started guiding the way, and along with a partnership with Habitat for Humanity of Lake-Sumter students began working on real projects and learning real skills.

Building houses and preparing students for great careers was no longer a dream, it was happening. Every academy started seeing excitement, and growth, along with summer jobs through the Academy of Construction Technologies program. Also, with a little help of video promotion of the projects, the programs at all the locations have taken off.

Click here to read the fully article by Don Magruder for the Daily Commercial

Catch Leesburg High team on Habitat Academy this Saturday; Season 2 premieres on FOX35+

Behind the scenes of Habitat Academy season 2 filmed earlier this year. Submitted

Behind the scenes of Habitat Academy season 2 filmed earlier this year. Submitted

LEESBURG — Season two of Habitat Academy, a series following the most recent Habitat for Humanity build in Leesburg, is airing this month on FOX35+.

The series, produced by Red Apples Media, features nine monthly webisodes chronicling the Leesburg High School Construction Academy’s efforts as they worked side-by-side with Habitat volunteers. Over the course of the season, the Leesburg High team joined local trades to build a home from the ground up for one lucky family.

The latest season of the show will appear as two one-hour episodes on consecutive Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. on FOX35+, reaching the entire Orlando metro viewing area. Episode one of season two aired over the weekend, but episode two will be available to watch this coming Saturday.

It can also be viewed on YouTube, at this link youtu.be/pwEZI_741T4.

“We see this as a great opportunity to feature our community, our trades who invest time, expertise and materials to the project, and most of all, the hard-working students at Leesburg High School,” said Marc Robertz-Schwartz, president of Red Apples Media. “With such local and regional demand for skilled trades, such Lake County Schools programs are providing both employment and hiring opportunities to those who want to graduate high school and jump-start their professional careers.”

This is the second undertaking of its kind by the construction academy and Red Apples Media.

Click here to read the full article by Sarah Oulman, Daily Commercial.

Students, community partners break ground on house

Students with The Villages High School Construction Management Academy approach the site of the ground-breaking of a house in Wildwood through Habitat for Humanity Lake-Sumter. Rachel Stuart, Daily Sun

Students with The Villages High School Construction Management Academy approach the site of the ground-breaking of a house in Wildwood through Habitat for Humanity Lake-Sumter. Rachel Stuart, Daily Sun

Villages High School senior Tayten Beasley can’t wait to get his hands dirty.

The 17-year-old and others with The Villages High School Construction Management Academy dug into a new year on Friday with a groundbreaking event.

They broke ground on their latest housing project for the year, a joint venture between the academy and Habitat for Humanity of Lake-Sumter to build affordable homes for families.

Companies such as RoMac Building Supplies also collaborate on the project.

Tayten, who is also on the VHS football team, said he lives close to the site in Wildwood. He hopes to, “see every day that I did that.”

Click here to read the full article by Garrett Shiflet, Daily Sun Staff Writer

Villages Charter School begins fourth year of working with Habitat for Humanity

Habitat for Humanity of Lake-Sumter alongside The Villages Charter School, Leesburg, South Lake, and Eustis High Schools will kick off construction of four new homes in partnership with Habitat’s Youth Construction Academy.

Key community players and house sponsor, Citizen’s First Bank, will kick-off The Villages Charter School’s fourth year of the program, followed by house sponsor, RoMac Building Supply’s ground breakings with Leesburg and South Lake High Schools. Habitat Lake-Sumter will also introduce Eustis High School’s enrollment into the Youth Construction Academy for their first new home build.

New classes of students will spend time during the school week working side by side with Habitat’s construction staff and professional tradesmen on live construction projects, providing hands-on learning at dedicated build sites.

Click here to read the full story from the Villages-News.com

Season Two of Habitat Academy to air on Orlando TV

Locally produced series follows the Leesburg High School Construction Academy “Dream Team” as they help to build a Habitat for Humanity house.

Habitat Academy will air in two parts, on Saturday, August 14 and 21, at 10 a.m. on WRBW-TV which can be viewed on the following system channels:

  • Spectrum: 6
  • Xfinity: 15
  • Prism: 5
  • AT&T: 41
  • DIRECTV: 65
  • Dish Network: 65

 

A nearly year-long project that involved the Leesburg High School “Dream Team” building a Habitat for Humanity home will be the subject of a two-part program that will air on an Orlando television station later this month.

“Habitat Academy 2” was originally produced as a nine-webisode series that showcased the unique partnership involving Leesburg High School Construction Academy students working alongside professionals and volunteers for a hands-on learning experience. The LHS “Dream Team” includes 15 students, two of whom were part of last year’s Habitat Academy home build.

“We’ve always had career and technical education, but this program is really putting the icing on the cake where these kids are building and learning at the same time. In fact, the commercial contractors on the project even gave the students the opportunity to work with them during the summer. We’re literally creating jobs for these kids,” said Bill Mathias, Chairman of the Lake County School Board. “Because of the success and exposure of the Leesburg High School program, we’ve been able to launch construction academies in other high schools in the district.”

RoMac Building Supply, Habitat for Humanity Lake-Sumter, Florida, The City of Leesburg, Leesburg High School and many local contractors and volunteers, created the opportunity for the students. Multi award winning Leesburg video production company Red Apples Media, which produced the series for LSTV Digital has reformatted it into two hour-long episodes that will air on consecutive Saturdays on WRBW-TV FOX 35 Plus to reach a larger audience.

“Airing ‘Habitat Academy 2’ on Orlando TV is a great opportunity to showcase Lake County Schools, the innovative academy program and the community partnerships to a larger audience of 900,000 households,” said Executive Producer and Red Apples Media president, Marc Robertz-Schwartz.

“Habitat Academy” Season 1 was recently honored with a 2021 Telly Award, a premier organization that honors excellence in video and television across all screens.

About Red Apples Media

Red Apples Media is a multi-award winning, full-service video production and multimedia marketing agency. Founded in 2008, Leesburg, Fla.- Red Apples Media services include video production, multimedia marketing, branding, advertising, and design. The agency has been recognized with multiple honors and awards for both its production and its community service. To learn more about Red Apples Media, visit www.RedApplesMedia.com

 

# # #

 

 

 

 

Leesburg’s Red Apples Media wins big at 2021 Telly Awards

Behind the scenes of Habitat Academy season 2 filmed earlier this year. Submitted

Behind the scenes of Habitat Academy season 2 filmed earlier this year. Submitted

LEESBURG — Red Apples Media was recently announced as one of this year’s Telly Award winners, bringing home several honors.

The 42nd Annual Telly Awards, the world’s largest honor for video and television content across all screens, announced its award winners in May, including one of Leesburg’s very own.

Red Apples Media, a video production company based in Leesburg, received three Telly honors for their recent works, honoring excellence in video content.

Habitat Academy, a series chronicling the Leesburg High School Construction Academy’s journey to build a home for one lucky family with Habitat for Humanity of Lake and Sumter, won a bronze Telly for last year’s season finale.

Click here to read the full article by Sarah Oulman, Daily Commercial

YCA dedications 2021

Leesburg High School – Dedication

South Lake High School – Dedication

The Villages Charter School – Buffalo Builders: Episode 4

Program teaches Lake County students about construction

Mark & Mindy received keys to new home from South Lake High School students from the Youth Construction Academy

LAKE COUNTY, Fla. – Some Lake County High Schools offer a program to provide experiential learning and introduce students to the field of construction. 


What You Need To Know

  • Program in Lake County teaches high school students about constructions

  • Students help build homes and learn life skills

  • The program is in partnership with Habitat for Humanity

​This class teaches students the basics of building, while also picking up life skills.

It’s graduation season, and some students are spending it helping create a home for a Lake County couple.

“It’s happy, it’s a feeling of joy because you get to give people the keys for them to start their life,” said Aaron Dudhnath, a senior at South Lake High School.

Twelve South Lake High School students, including senior Dudhnath, built this home as part of the Youth Construction Academy program. 

“Day by day, kind of see the house come from the bottom and up is a very great thing to see happen. Especially us, we’re young and to get in there and get that experience is great,” Dudhnath said.

Their instructor believes the partnership with Habitat for Humanity will provide the students with a strong foundation.

“Whether you want to be in construction or not, all these are valuable skills you’re going to learn. Instead of maybe coming out and paying someone to fix something simple, you’re able to take care of it yourself,” said Jared Fullerton, the Construction Academy Teacher at South Lake High School.

Being at the work site came with many benefits and experiences. 

“Hanging a door, putting in cabinets, installing flooring, that’s not stuff we can really do in the classroom,” Fullerton said.

Click here to view video and full article by Marisa Silvas, Spectrum News

Habitat for Humanity and South Lake High School’s Youth Construction Academy Is Building Homes And Hope

Youth Construction Academy South Lake High School, Owen Family Dedication

At the start of the 2020 fall semester, the Habitat for Humanity of Lake-Sumter in partnership with a hand-selected group of students from South Lake High School broke ground and began construction of a new home. Through all kinds of weather and a pandemic, the group completed the home in less than a year.

Habitat for Humanity of Lake-Sumter started the Youth Construction Academy, partnering with high school construction students. The vocational program, began approximately 3 years ago to introduce students to the field of construction. Students graduate the program with access and opportunity for internships and employment.

On Friday, May 7, a dedication ceremony was held at the newly constructed home in Mascotte. Construction Program Head Jarod Fullerton and his Groveland High School construction students Ernesto Lea, Aaron Dudhnath, Samuel Smrekan, Jonathon Cherry, Christopher Sherman, Nakoma Payne, Georgia Turner, Hayley Kintner, Dayton Driggers, Alexander Valentine, Jacob Willis, Elizabeth Singh, Jacob Myrland, were recognized and asked to present the keys to the house to new homeowners Mark and Mindy Owen.

Habitat has plans to build a total of four homes in that one block on Thomas Street in Mascotte, one house a year, in cooperation with the advanced construction students of South Lake High.

There has been a construction program at South Lake for well over 20 years. The program was revitalized through a workforce grant. Program head Jared Fullerton is himself a graduate of South Lake, where he was a construction student. Fullerton says he was 18 when he took part in building his first home. After graduating from South Lake in 2001 and spending two years studying at Lake-Sumter State College, he went on to earn a degree in Building Construction from the University of Florida. He worked several years in the industry and now has returned to South Lake High School, home of the Eagles, to reenergize the construction program for a new generation of students.

Click here to read the full article from the South Lake Tablet

VHS Students help family fulfill a dream

Instructor Bruce Haberle congratulates students with The Villages High School’s Construction Management Academy for helping build a new home in Lady Lake for Amanda Brooks and her daughter, Emilee Carter.

Instructor Bruce Haberle congratulates students with The Villages High School’s Construction Management Academy for helping build a new home in Lady Lake for Amanda Brooks and her daughter, Emilee Carter. Rachel Stuart, Daily Sun

Most families aim to build success and raise their standard of living so their children can have better lives. But, this isn’t feasible for everyone without help. Habitat for Humanity of Lake-Sumter and the Construction Management Academy of The Villages High School work together to give some of these families a boost when it comes to their homes, a measure of success for many families. Habitat and the academy recently completed a yearlong project to build a home for the Brooks family and handed over the keys to their new home Wednesday.

To Amanda Brooks, a working, single parent whose family received the house, the students’ drive and efforts were impressive and something for which she always will be grateful.

“The students are amazing,” she said. “I know they don’t realize it but they have completely changed my life.”

Brooks Family

After years of trying to obtain a home, Brooks and her daughter, Emilee, received the keys to their new home with tears of joy. Brooks applied to the program at The Villages Charter School and, through a selection process, was chosen out of the top five applicants.

 “I remember exactly where I was when I received the call from Habitat,” Brooks said. “I was at work, and I took the call and I wanted to jump up and down and cry in excitement.”

She said she then contacted everyone that knew she had applied.

“My family is so proud of the woman, mother, daughter I’ve become,” she said. “They can’t wait to come visit my new home.”

Brooks has spent the year keeping herself steady at work and volunteering over 200 hours of “sweat equity” for Habitat for Humanity.

The construction students even planned a surprise for Emilee: a bright pink playhouse for her to enjoy in her new backyard. Art students lent their artistic abilities to add characters from Disney movies to the decor. Emilee smiled as she ducked through the door labeled “Emilee’s Playhouse.”

Click here to read the full article by Garrett Shiflet, Daily Sun Staff Writer

Upcoming 2021 Youth Construction Academy Dedications

2021 Youth Construction Academy Dedications

Habitat for Humanity of Lake-Sumter dedicates three new homes built by

High School Students

Students from Leesburg High, South Lake High, and the Villages Charter High School graduate from the Youth Construction Academy and give the keys to the future homeowners.

 

Lake County, FL – Habitat for Humanity of Lake-Sumter in partnership with Leesburg High School, South Lake High School, and the Villages Charter High School have built three new homes as part of a vocational education program, the Youth Construction Academy.

 

  • Leesburg High School will honor the students who built a home in Leesburg, Florida on Friday, April 30th.

 

  • The Villages Charter High School will honor the students who built a home in Lady Lake, Florida on Wednesday, May 5th

 

  • South Lake High School will honor the students who built a home in Mascotte, Florida on Friday, May 7th.

 

Habitat’s Youth Construction Academy, through the partnership of select High Schools, is a vocational program designed to provide experiential learning and introduce students to the field of construction. Students graduate the program with access and opportunity for internships and employment.

 

Construction of each home began at the start of the Fall semester last year and continued through April 2021. The students and teachers will be included in the dedication ceremony as we hand over the keys to the families selected through Habitat’s Home Ownership program.

 

The dedication ceremonies are open to the public and media is invited to attend.  For location details and to RSVP, please contact Shari at Shari@HabitatLS.org.

 

WHAT:          Habitat for Humanity and Leesburg High, South Lake High, and The Villages Charter High School’s Youth Construction Academy

 

WHEN:          Friday, April 30th from 12:00PM- 2:00PM (Leesburg Location)

RSVP to Shari@HabitatLS.org

 

Wednesday, May 5th from 12:00PM- 2:00PM (Lady Lake Location)

RSVP to Shari@HabitatLS.org

 

Friday, May 7th from 8:00AM –9:00AM (Mascotte Location)

RSVP to Shari@HabitatLS.org

 

WHERE:       Location details provided through Shari: Shari@HabitatLS.org

 

 

About Habitat for Humanity of Lake-Sumter, Florida

Habitat for Humanity of Lake-Sumter, Florida has been your local Hometown Habitat serving individuals in Lake and Sumter Counties with access and opportunity to affordable housing solutions since 1989.   As an affiliate of Habitat International we empower local families to achieve strength, stability, and self-reliance through shelter and are united by a shared vision of a world where everyone has a decent place to live. 

Almost Home: Meet the Smith Family

Jessica and Otto working on site on their new home

For the Smith Family, Habitat for Humanity has given them more than just a home

“Habitat for Humanity symbolizes hope for people to keep pushing in life,” said Otto Smith.

Jessica Smith and her 13 year-old-son, Otto, spend their time with each other, optimistic about a place that they can call home. Habitat for Humanity Lake-Sumter has made that possible for them.

Jessica Smith works as an assistant at an oral surgery clinic, and Otto is in the 8th grade. Their family has lived in the area for 34 years. The surrounding neighborhood is a special place for Otto and Jessica, as their new home will be very close to Jessica’s work and Otto’s school, and their church is only a short distance away. The Smiths plan to host family game nights, church gatherings, and holiday get togethers once the home is complete. “There will be many memories made there. We can’t wait for our monthly game nights.” Jessica said.

The Smiths are looking forward to simple memories from family meals to individual spaces in their new home. “I am so excited to have a kitchen to call our own to cook and eat meals together” Jessica Smith, future homeowner said. “Otto and I are very excited to have our own rooms.”

Habitat for Humanity makes it possible for families to live in a beautiful home on an affordable mortgage. No more than 30 percent of a person’s income is spent on housing with Habitat for Humanity. This allows families like the Smiths to use that money for other expenses such as groceries or education. “We have moved about 14 or 15 times, but I am really excited to have a place that we can finally call home,” said Jessica.

Their new home is being built through the Youth Construction Academy program where high school students gain hands-on experience during their school day building homes, while also getting school credit. The Smith family’s journey with Habitat for Humanity has been gratifying and exciting. Family and friends also come to help with the construction of the home. “They have done a lot for us. We started out at rock bottom,” said Otto. “Every day it seems like there is a new spark of hope for us. It brings us so much joy to see the community coming together to build this home.”

Their home is well underway with the frame almost complete. The Smiths have expressed great thanks and enthusiasm for this project, and they are both ready for the day when they finally have a place to call home.

By Volunteer Writer: Katrina Machetta

Around the House: Something to make you smile

Leesburg High School students first day on site

Students from the Leesburg High School Construction Academy work on constructing a home for Habitat for Humanity in Leesburg. [Cindy Peterson/Correspondent] Cindy Peterson

For most people, 2020 has been a year of heartache, fear, and anxiety with little to smile about. We are all exhausted from the COVID-19 pandemic, the bitterness from the presidential election, and a hurricane season that never wanted to end.

Despite all the turmoil through the fall, a group of local young people have been working hard doing good work for their community while preparing themselves for a future with a respectable job in the construction industry. Since September, each week students from The Villages Charter High School Construction Management Academy and the Leesburg High School Construction Academy have been working on jobsites building homes for Habitat for Humanity of Lake-Sumter.

These students are doing so while trying to combine virtual learning, wearing a mask, and following COVID-19 pandemic guidelines issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

The students in The Villages Charter High School Construction Management Academy are working in two shifts on their project on Ann Street in Lady Lake. Under the direction of their instructor Bruce Haberle and Habitat for Humanity Project Manager Barry Martin, these students have constructed a home with little help. The walls and roof are up, and it is dried in.

The project is being done with the highest of craftmanship and the jobsite is neat and clean. However, the students are what make this project so special. Polite, hard workers who want to make a difference in the life of this homeowner. This something to smile about.

On Grove Street in Leesburg, the Leesburg High School Construction Academy students are building their Habitat for Humanity house on a beautiful corner lot just one block from the water. This home is being constructed with the highest of quality and the members of the “Dream Team” are working hard to understand every aspect of construction. Jobsite mentors have been instrumental in providing real world direction and all are motivated by the homeowner who has worked side by side with the students.

Click here to read the full article by Don Magruder For the Daily Commercial

VHS students build playhouse for charity

students working on playhouse for Jingle Build-Off 2020

The Villages High School seniors Brock Esarey, left, Hayden Fink, center, and Tyler McLean help build a playhouse as part of the Habitat for Humanity of Lake-Sumter’s Jingle Build Off 2020. Bill Mitchell, Daily Sun

The Villages High School’s Construction Management Academy will make Christmas a little brighter for the child who receives a playhouse the students built. Students participated Nov. 10 in the Habitat for Humanity of Lake-Sumter Jingle Build-Off competition. The academy is one of the five teams entered so far, said Lacie Himes, associate development director for the Habitat Lake-Sumter. Teams may still enter Jingle Build until Monday for the best playhouse. The public may judge it online this year Dec. 5-10 at habitatls.org/jingle-build-off. Construction Management Academy teacher Bruce Haberle said he hopes students not only learned construction skills by building the playhouse, but also about giving to the community and to people who are less fortunate. Last year, the academy was one of eight teams that built 10 playhouses on site for Habitat’s Christmas Village in Tavares. This year will offer a Virtual Christmas Village. Teams have the option to build their playhouses at their own sites or on site.

Habitat Academy Season Two premieres, eight episodes planned

Future homeowner of Leesburg

The recipients of the home, Jessica Smith and her son, Otto, are introduced to the Leesburg High School Construction Academy who will be building the home for the Habitat for Humanity project in Leesburg on Monday Sept. 21 [Cindy Peterson/Correspondent] Cindy Peterson

LEESBURG — Red Apples Media premiered Habitat Academy Season 2 Friday, documenting the start of another year’s home-building project by students at Leesburg High and volunteers with Habitat for Humanity Lake-Sumter.

The Nov. 13 premiere showcased the new project to be built by 14 Leesburg High School students — known as the Dream Team — and the family who will benefit from their work. This season debuted a full month earlier than the first season, which initially aired its first episode on December 16, 2019.

The new season of the show includes updated graphics and an opening video which features clips of students working. As before, it’s hosted by the CEO of RoMac Building Supply, Don Magruder. RoMac is one of the show’s sponsors, and Magruder has been involved as a community advisor for the Leesburg High School Construction Academy for the past few years.

This season of Habitat Academy is starting off with extra ambition, and the benefit of partnerships and knowledge developed over the course of last year’s production.

Red Apples Media President Marc Robertz-Schwartz said after the conclusion of last season that he and his crew learned a great deal while producing the show, including about how to schedule the show.

“The house gets built at the rate that the house gets built,” Robertz-Schwartz said.

Season one was a couple episodes short of its projected run due to the rate the house reached its milestones, Robertz-Schwartz said. They couldn’t ask the construction team to hold off on a milestone for filming, for instance, so it was hard to capture every planned moment.

Still, with that experience under their belt, Red Apples is going in for a longer season this year.

Click here to read the full article by Payne Ray, Daily Commercial

Sponsor of the Month: Munns

Meet Habitat for Humanity of Lake-Sumter’s newest partner, Munn’s Air-Conditioning and Heating.

Munn’s has a trusted reputation as a locally owned and operated Heating and Air-Conditioning company and has been in business for more than FIFTY years! Munn’s knows about the importance of a job well-done, that’s why they are investing in the next generation of Youth Construction Academy students by sponsoring The Villages Charter High School’s latest new home construction project. Not only is Munn’s supporting the build but they’ll offering expertise and HVAC training to the students.

Munn’s is generously partnering with Habitat for Humanity of Lake-Sumter by sponsoring the Youth Construction Academy home and they’ll help us kick-off the season of giving by matching every donation made in December!

Students build with Habitat for Humanity

Joshua Fulwider, left, Abigail Stewart, center, and Jakobe Zick bring in a roof truss to be raised on a home being built for Habitat for Humanity Lake Sumter on Oct. 12 on Ann Street in Lady Lake.  George Horsford, Daily Sun

Joshua Fulwider, left, Abigail Stewart, center, and Jakobe Zick bring in a roof truss to be raised on a home being built for Habitat for Humanity Lake Sumter on Oct. 12 on Ann Street in Lady Lake.
George Horsford, Daily Sun

The Villages High School seniors in the Construction Management Academy are back at work building a third home for Habitat for Humanity of Lake-Sumter.

“It’s a great learning experience,” said student Jace Gray, 17.

“I’ve learned so much about a house I never would have learned in any other place — so much more respect for a house,” student Abigail Stewart, 17, said.

They carried and placed roof trusses in place on the house they are building in Lady Lake for a single mother with a daughter. Last March, students were almost done building another house for Habitat when spring break was extended in an effort to thwart the spread of COVID-19. Then the state closed schools for the rest of the year while students learned online.

Dreams Come True for the Brooks Family

meet the brooks family

     On Emilee’s birthday last year, her dreams came true when she accompanied Rey on an adventure to find Chewbacca in a small trading post in Batuu. Walking side by side with her hero, Emilee is strong with the force, and with a mom like Amanda, it’s not hard to see where she gets it from. Now, thanks to Habitat for Humanity of Lake-Sumter’s Youth Construction Academy and Habitat’s newest partner, Munn’s Air Conditioning & Heating, both mother and daughter will find a new happily ever after with their dream home.

         Like their favorite Star Wars heroes, Amanda Brooks and her daughter Emilee know how to use their powers for good. Having volunteered recently with Habitat Lake-Sumter, Amanda is excited to play the role of mentor for both Emilee and students who will be building her dream home. She hopes that the Villages Charter High School students feel accomplished building her and Emilee’s future home, learning strong foundational principles like hospitality, hard work, stewardship, and creativity. “I encourage my daughter to stick by these core values. I would also encourage the high school students to stick to these core values and to reach for their goals,” said Amanda.           

          Amanda volunteered on a Preservation & Repair project recently and helped re-paint a house, she said it was nice to meet other future Habitat homeowners and volunteers and learn about their journeys. Now that she’s on the receiving end of the program, Amanda says she’s still taking it all in. “Honestly, I’m still in a state of ‘is this really happening?’ ‘am I really getting this?’, I don’t think I’m going to be in shock anymore until I’m finally moving in.”

        Students enrolled in the high school’s Construction Management Program began active construction on Amanda and Emiliee’s home in late-August, with the house completion slated for May 2021. This highlights the school’s third year being involved in Habitat Lake-Sumter’s Youth Construction Academy and third house built with The Villages Charter High School. The program was created to provide students with valuable hands-on training and viable career opportunities after graduation. This year, Munn’s Air Conditioning & Heating will be providing support of the project by sponsoring the build and offering expertise and HVAC training to the students.

         In the end, just like the magic of Walt Disney World, Amanda and Emilee will be able to create new precious memories in their future home, where Emilee also dreams of using the extra room as a Star Wars playroom. For Amanda and Emilee, their new home just might be the happiest place on Earth.

 

By Olivia Knight

 

South Lake High School And Habitat For Humanity Work Together To Build A House

group photo at south lake high school site in mascotte

Students from South Lake High School are working with Habitat For Humanity of Lake-Sumter to help launch a new Habitat for Humanity home in Mascotte. Monday was a big day for the local Habitat for Humanity, as well as for some future homeowners and a group of students at South Lake High School. Habitat for Humanity of Lake-Sumter started its program of partnering with high school construction students two years ago with The Villages Charter High School. Last year they added Leesburg High to the program, and this year they have added the Construction Academy of South Lake High School. The Villages school, located in Sumter County, started its home-building project in August. But Monday was the start day for students in Lake County. Eight students were accepted to the construction team in south Lake — six boys and two girls — and most of them were on hand in Mascotte for their first day on the job site. The plan is that students will spend three days a week at the job site, and two days in the classroom.

From the sltablet.com

Leesburg Construction Academy students eye next Habitat for Humanity house

Leesburg High School students first day on site

Students from the Leesburg High School Construction Academy work on constructing a home for Habitat for Humanity in Leesburg. [Cindy Peterson/Correspondent] Cindy Peterson

LEESBURG — Leesburg construction students took their first steps into their next housing project Monday as they met with the future owner of a Habitat for Humanity home on 1501 Grove Ave. in Leesburg.

The 14 students will be building the program’s second house in partnership with Habitat for Humanity Lake-Sumter, though for each of them it is a first — students are hand-picked to be on the team from LHS construction academy seniors.

“I chose the team, so I think they’re freaking amazing,” construction academy teacher Bryan Russ said.

Russ added that he’s really confident not only in their skills, but in their ability to work as a team and to work through any conflicts, which will be key in keeping the project moving.

The project generated a great deal of excitement not only for the team, but for the new homeowner, Jessica Smith, who has already been selected by Habitat for Humanity Lake-Sumter this year.

She attended a small, socially distanced event to kick off the home build on Monday, where district officials gathered to encourage students and thank Habitat for Humanity of Lake and Sumter for providing the opportunity for the students to work. 

Smith, along with her son Otto, will make a home out of the new house after 

Leesburg students complete it.

Smith has never been a homeowner, she said, and she and Otto, who is 13, have had to move a total of 13 times since he was born. The home he was taken back to after his birth was destroyed in a tornado in 2007, and they’ve lacked stability since.

That stability is one of the things they’re looking forward to most.

“Moving around house to house, it feels good to be living in a single spot for the rest of my teenage years,” Otto said.

“We are very blessed for this opportunity,” his mother said, looking over at the framework of the house.

Smith added that she was excited to have students working on the project, and was glad that people would be using her future home to further their education.

Click here for the full article by Payne Ray from the Daily Commercial

Meet Ashley Hess – Youth Construction Academy Graduate

Meet Ashley Hess

 

Between the pressures of statewide testing, staying active in after-school sports and navigating social norms, high school students rarely get the chance to learn skills that will stick with them beyond their senior year. Habitat Lake-Sumter’s Youth Construction Academy is determined to change that with a mutually beneficial program that not only teaches high school students construction, carpentry, and home-building skills, but also provides a new home to a family in need.

When asked what her thoughts on the program are, Ashley has nothing but positive feedback about the benefits it provides for the students now, and in the future.

“I really love this program. It comes with many opportunities for certifications and many different experiences with learning how to build a home. This program also gives us connections to construction companies and helps us do some networking whenever we make it into the real world. These connections could offer us jobs and a look at different parts of the construction industry.”

She likes that working in construction helps to buffer the bias of women in the construction industry, and she always gets a laugh when men react to her carrying heavy objects while working on site. While the work helps to make her strong physically, it also helps mentally, giving her, and other teens clarity and an outlet for stress.

Ashley’s hard work is paying off, prior to school closure due to Covid-19, she was awarded Student of the Month – this award focuses on a student’s employability (attendance, work performance, and willingness to excel) and overall attitude and competence “on the job” whether that is in class or onsite.  As the only female construction academy student in her class, Ashley demonstrates her leadership skills by being a role model among her peers and encouraging other girls to see the construction industry as a viable career path; traits that will undoubtedly benefit Ashley in her chosen field.

Stay tuned for future updates on Ashley and find out where the Youth Construction Academy students are now! 

By Lauren Lester- Real Estate Advisor and Community Advocate

Around the House: A true win-win situation

Lady Lake house

In 2020, Habitat for Humanity of Lake-Sumter worked with The Villages Charter High School Construction Management Academy and the Leesburg High School Construction Academy in the construction of two Habitat for Humanity Homes in Lake County.

The home built by The Villages Charter High School Construction Management Academy students is in the Carlton Village area of Lady Lake while the home built by the Leesburg High School Construction Academy students is on North 12th Street in Leesburg. Both projects were a complete success — with the new homeowners having a home for a lifetime built by students who developed skill sets in construction for a lifetime.

The only disappointment was the COVID-19 pandemic, which prevented both high schools from following the projects all the way to the end. The students missed the opportunity to finish their Habitat homes, participate in the dedication ceremonies, and receive accolades from a grateful community for a job well done, which resulted in the enhancement of each school’s program. Students in both programs have paved the way for future students and Habitat homeowners.

The 2020-2021 school year promises to be even bigger for the Habitat for Humanity Projects in Lake and Sumter Counties, as these projects are being planned for The Villages Charter High School, Leesburg High School and South Lake High School.

These projects merge public education with private partnerships to help train students for good paying jobs and careers while providing a needed home for a working family. They teach the young people in our community the important of benevolence. Honestly, these programs work because everyone wins.

Thanks to the participation of the community, school district, and private partnerships, these programs a true success. Many people want to get involved and here is how you can participate in one of these great projects.

Each high school has an Advisory Board, which bridges the partnership between the public and private sectors. These Advisory Boards are made up of educators and business-people in the construction community that meet monthly to address the needs of their high school’s program and coordinate community participation.

If you would like to participate on one of the Advisory Boards, contact Lynnea Weissman at the Lake County School District at 352-988-4876, or Rob Grant, the Principal at The Villages Charter High School, at 352-259-3777.

Click here to read the full article by Don Magruder / For the Daily Commercial

Youth Construction Academy Dedications

 

Over the past school year select Youth Construction Academy students have been hard at work building two new homes in our service area.  We are proud to share they are complete, beautifully built, and will soon be filled with the laughter of children as the Shields and McInnes families move in next week!  The student participants from The Villages Charter School and Leesburg High started their home building projects in August with raw land and have worked alongside our Habitat construction manager as well as local sub-contractors to gain experience within the various trades of residential construction. This program is a shining example of Habitat’s mission of bringing people together to build homes, communities, and hope.  A special THANK YOU to all of our sponsors and community supporters who helped make these projects a reality.   Check out the videos below to get a tour of the finished homes, meet the Habitat families, and join us in congratulating the students success!

The Villages Charter Dedication Video
A special message from Walt Disney World Ambassadors

Leesburg High Dedication Video

Exciting Plans for Next Year

Thanks to the generous support of Disney, Habitat Lake-Sumter was able to invest in securing a third school relationship for our Youth Construction Academy program.  We  are happy to announce that next year we will have three partner schools – Leesburg High, The Villages Charter High, and South Lake High!  As each school works to build their construction program, we are ready to grow with them and provide an opportunity for real life, on the job training, creating a bright outlook for their career.  Below are the locations of the 20-21 home building projects by school:

 

VHS academy builds lion’s share of house

The finished Lady Lake home of a single mom of two boys was built by Habitat for Humanity of Lake-Sumter with the help of students of the Villages High School Construction Management Academy. Michael Johnson, Daily Sun

The finished Lady Lake home of a single mom of two boys was built by Habitat for Humanity of Lake-Sumter with the help of students of the Villages High School Construction Management Academy.
Michael Johnson, Daily Sun

The virtual dedication ceremony for a home that Villages High School students helped build is bittersweet for students. The volunteers and Habitat for Humanity supporters who would normally attend the dedication, including the 11 students, were all absent. “I know they’re disappointed they didn’t get to finish,” said teacher Bruce Haberle, who runs the charter school’s Construction Management Academy. His students built 80% to 85% of the three-bedroom, two-bath house for Habitat for Humanity of Lake-Sumter, he said. Habitat plans virtual dedications for all five homes that volunteers built this year. Female-led households will receive the keys to their new homes in the dedications between mid-May and June.

Read this story and many others in Wednesday’s edition of the Daily Sun.

Construction Tour

Danielle Stroud, Senior Director of Programs & Partnerships, took us on a tour of our 5 construction sites in Lake and Sumter County. Stay tuned for the virtual dedications!

VHS students show construction skills

Under the direction of instructor Bruce Haberle, reflected right, The Villages High School Construction Management Academy seniors David Routzahn, 17, and Trey Jones, 19, make chalk lines for the siding on a Habitat for Humanity house Tuesday in Lady Lake. Photos by Cindy Skop, Daily Sun

Under the direction of instructor Bruce Haberle, reflected right, The Villages High School Construction Management Academy seniors David Routzahn, 17, and Trey Jones, 19, make chalk lines for the siding on a Habitat for Humanity house Tuesday in Lady Lake.
Photos by Cindy Skop, Daily Sun

By building a house for Habitat for Humanity, Villages High School Construction Management Academy students are learning a lot. Students celebrated reaching the dry-in stage Wednesday with Habitat for Humanity of Lake-Sumter, Citizens First Bank, business partners in the construction industry, volunteers and the high school’s pep band. Dry-in is the turning point of the construction process when the framing, windows, exterior doors, roof, shingles and waterproof barrier are all done to protect anything inside the house that could be damaged by water. It’s usually the halfway point of the construction project, said Barry Martin, construction manager for Habitat for Humanity, who is supervising volunteers and working with VHS academy instructor Bruce Haberle.

Read this story and many others in Friday’s edition of the Daily Sun.

Leesburg High students hit the small screen

Leesburg Site that Leesburg High School Construction Academy is building

Leesburg High School construction students have been working with Habitat for Humanity volunteers and local tradesman in the construction home at 107 N. 12th St. in Leesburg. The home, pictured Friday had made great progress to Marc Robertz-Schwartz, Habitat Academy’s executive producer. [Payne Ray/Daily Commercial]

The show will feature Leesburg construction students, local tradesmen and other partners as they work together to build a Habitat for Humanity Lake-Sumter home in Leesburg. New 15-minute episodes will air the third Monday of each month on Lake Sumter TV.

LEESBURG — Those curious how high school students could help build a house from start to finish have an opportunity to find out.

Habitat Academy, a 15-minute television show documenting the Leesburg High School Construction Academy’s work on a Leesburg home with Habitat for Humanity Lake-Sumter, will debut Monday at 7:30 p.m. on Lake Sumter TV. The channel will also upload it to Youtube and play it again throughout the week.

“I think people are going to be surprised by the progress,” Red Apples Media President and Habitat Academy executive producer Marc Robertz-Schwartz said. “We’re just amazed at how quickly that home is going up.”

Red Apples will continue to visit the home at 107 N. 12th St. once monthly in order to record the episodes, which will be released around the third week of every month. Robertz-Schwartz said they waited till the end of the year to produce the first episode as the build — a collaboration between expert tradesmen, Habitat volunteers and 11 LHS construction students — needed a few months to get off the ground.

Now that the build is underway and the production schedule has been outlined, Robertz-Schwartz said they’re expecting to produce nine episodes of Habitat Academy.

Their aim will be to showcase the build as it goes up, with episodes themed around the progress of the house.

The first episode will feature interviews with the construction students as well as community partners on the build and the show. In the following episodes, to be hosted by Don Magruder of RoMac Building Supply, the show will feature interviews with tradesmen and other experts as they showcase the progress of the build.

Click here to read the full article by Payne Ray of the Daily Commercial

Around the House: Students should consider a career in construction

Leesburg High School Youth Construction Academy students with Don Magrader, Romac Lumber & Supply

Don Magruder talks to students of the Leesburg Construction Academy during a ground-breaking ceremony for a Habitat for Humanity project. [Cindy Sharp/Correspondent]

 

The construction trade programs in our local high schools and technical schools are exploding with student growth and interest as young people are realizing that college is not for everyone and great career opportunities exist with construction-related skillsets. The writing is on the wall as technology will eliminate millions of jobs in manufacturing, retail and service-related industries over the next decade. Good college degree jobs in offices that exist today will be gone tomorrow — just ask people in the banking industry. Young people are seeing the future clearly and understand career paths are changing.

There are now construction academies in Lake and Sumter Counties — at Leesburg High School, Eustis High School, South Lake High School and The Villages Charter High School. There are over 300 students enrolled in these programs, and two of these academies (Leesburg and The Villages) are building homes for Habitat for Humanity of Lake-Sumter.

Lake Tech is growing each semester with technical training in construction-related fields, and they are seeing continued growth in students and industry needs. Apprenticeship programs are springing up throughout Central Florida with groups like iBuild Central Florida laying the foundation for huge growth in training.

For any young person who is undecided whether to pursue a career in the construction trades or go to college, allow me to make the case for pursuing a career in the construction trades.

  •  Most skilled craftspeople earn more than most people who have a college degree. Even entry-level workers in the construction industry have an opportunity to earn more than most liberal arts majors leaving a university. Master craftspeople can easily earn more than those who have a Ph.D.
  • Once you become a skilled craftsperson and you have your own tools, you become recession proof. Sure, the economy could falter and building slow down again. However, skilled craftspeople can always find work doing repairs for homeowners and businesses. If you have the skills, tools and ambition — you can always find work to put food on the table.
  •  No student debt is required. The high school construction academies are free, Lake Tech is stunningly affordable and many companies offer scholarships for training. There is over $1.5 trillion in student loan debt, which will bury a generation. The tradespeople will be the ones buying homes and fixing them up in the future because they will make more money and have less debt.

Click here for the full article by the Daily Commercial.

 

Leesburg High students earn valuable experience teaming with Habitat to build house

Leesburg High students put the shovels in the ground during groundbreaking ceremony for a joint project of Habitat for Humanity and Leesburg High School’s Construction Academy on Monday, Aug. 26, 2019. Students will work alongside professionals to build a home for a family in need on 12th Street in Leesburg. (Rosemarie Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)

Leesburg High students put the shovels in the ground during groundbreaking ceremony for a joint project of Habitat for Humanity and Leesburg High School’s Construction Academy on Monday, Aug. 26, 2019. Students will work alongside professionals to build a home for a family in need on 12th Street in Leesburg. (Rosemarie Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)

LEESBURG — A dozen Leesburg High School students will be doing more than math equations, English essays and science experiments this year. They’ll be constructing a home from the ground up, too.

The three-bedroom, two-bath home will be built near downtown Leesburg for a family in need as part of a unique partnership between Habitat for Humanity of Lake-Sumter and Leesburg High’s Construction Academy.

Groundbreaking took place Monday at 107 N. 12th St., with a throng of state and local elected officials, business leaders and members of the community showing support for both the project and the academy. The vacant lot was donated by the city.

“This is great — the students and Leesburg High School needed it, the city of Leesburg needed it and the community needed it,” said Don Magruder, CEO of RoMac Building Supply and chairman of the academy’s advisory committee.

Roughly 100 students are enrolled in the academy, and the 12 students participating in the build were chosen based on their performance and leadership in the classroom. Each was required to have at least one year of construction classes.

“They are really a great group of talented kids,” said Lynnea Weissman, project manager with the Lake County school district’s office of College and Career Readiness. “It’s an opportunity for them to give back to the community.”

During the roughly eight-month project, the students will work alongside Habitat’s construction staff and professional tradespeople. They’ll use skills they’ve learned in class to work on every phase of the build, including the foundation and framing, electricity, plumbing, windows, doors, flooring and painting.

Senior Max Acosta, who is in his third year at the academy, said he walked into the academy during his sophomore year and fell in love with the program.

“It makes me feel really good to work on a project like this,” he said. “I’ll have a well-paid job after high school, too.”

Click here to read the full article by 

Learn More About Our Youth Construction Academy

Officials celebrate start of Leesburg High Habitat home

Leesburg High School Construction Academy students broke ground on a new home they’re building with Habitat for Humanity Lake-Sumter. At the end of the build, expected in May, the students will hand off the keys to the new homeowner.

LEESBURG — As the morning sun beat down Monday on 107 N. 12th St., the once-empty city lot bustled with activity.

Dozens of Leesburg, Lake County and state business people and representatives gathered at the unassuming address behind the Sunoco gas station to witness the groundbreaking of an innovative project: a home that will be built from the ground up with the help of local students.

Ten students from the Leesburg High School Construction Academy broke ground Monday on a home they’ll spend the school year building with staff from Habitat for Humanity Lake-Sumter. It’s a big task, but the team thinks they can do it.

“I feel like I’m gonna get out here and bust my butt and get it done,” LHS sophomore Jacob Moore said, looking out over the freshly turned dirt.

Moore said he and his classmates — who were selected from among those who qualified for the project based on their skill and exceptional teamwork — hadn’t had much time to get to know each other or their new instructor, but there will be plenty more time once they get on the job. They expect to work four days most weeks.

The academy’s new instructor, Jim Ellwood, said he’s confident too, and he wants to see the students succeed. Ellwood, who’s spent more than 40 years in the construction industry, said it’s more important than ever that students have opportunities like the build.

“Right now there’s a huge need for skilled workers,” he said. “If we do not train these students, we have no one to blame but ourselves.”

Kent Adcock, CEO of Habitat for Humanity Lake-Sumter, said a home build usually doesn’t take a full school year, but because it’s a teaching opportunity, they’ll be working slow. He predicts the students will finish it around April or May, just in time to hand off the keys to the homeowner.

“I think this will be a transformative event for the students,” Adcock said, noting that the students will get to see the finished product at the end of the year and will personally hand the keys over to the new owner.

Click here to read the full article by By Payne Ray / pray@dailycommercial.com

Learn More About Our Youth Construction Academy

LHS Construction Academy to build first Habitat house

students working on a preservation and repair project

Monday will be the official groundbreaking of a Habitat for Humanity Lake-Sumter home built by Leesburg High School Construction Academy students and Habitat staffers. Students will work on the project from start to finish.

LEESBURG — State and local officials, business leaders and community residents are invited to celebrate the ground-breaking of a new Habitat for Humanity home built by Habitat Lake-Sumter and students from the Leesburg High Construction Academy.

The ceremony takes place on Monday from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. at the home site, 107 North 12th St. The land for the home was donated by the city.

“This is a wonderful community project,” said Don Magruder, RoMac Building Supply CEO and academy advisory committee chairman. “We will have refreshments, a few speeches, the Leesburg High band and cheerleaders there. We are encouraging all the downtown merchants and the Leesburg Chamber of Commerce to participate with us, and we want the public to come out as well. It’s important for these students to know we support them in their efforts not only to prepare for a great career, but to also give back to their community.”

Production of the Habitat home will be a yearlong project in which students will put lessons from the previous year into practice. They’ll be working on the home from its foundations to the last coat of paint.

Students will work side-by-side with Habitat’s construction staff and professional tradespeople, many of whom plan to donate their time and resources toward the project and serve as mentors for the students.

Click here to read the full article from the Daily Commercial

Learn More About Our Youth Construction Academy

 

Leesburg Construction Academy Students To Celebrate Groundbreaking of Home They Will Build With Habitat For Humanity

students working on a Preservation and Repair Project

State and local elected officials, business leaders and community residents are invited to celebrate a new partnership between Leesburg High School Construction Academy students and Habitat for Humanity of Lake-Sumter Florida, as the two break ground on a home they will build in Leesburg for a family in need.

The ceremony takes place on Monday, Aug. 26, from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. at the home site, 107 N. 12th Street, which was donated by the city.

“This is a wonderful community project,’’ said Don Magruder, CEO of RoMac Building Supply and chairman of the academy’s advisory committee. “We will have refreshments, a few speeches, the Leesburg High band and cheerleaders there. We are encouraging all the downtown merchants and the Leesburg Chamber of Commerce to participate with us, and we want the public to come out as well. It’s important for these students to know we support them in their efforts not only to prepare for a great career but to also give back to their community.”

Production of the Habitat home will give students an opportunity to put into practice what they have been learning in class. It will be a yearlong project, during which the students will work on every phase of the house including building the foundation and framing; installing electricity, plumbing, doors, windows, sheetrock and flooring; and painting. Students will work side by side with Habitat’s construction staff and professional tradespeople, many of whom plan to donate their time and resources toward the project and serve as mentors for the students.

Students participating in the build were selected from a large pool of applicants. They were required to have taken at least one year of construction classes at Leesburg High School and demonstrated exceptional performance and leadership in their classwork. They also had to write an essay explaining why they would be a good addition to “the dream team.”

Click here to read the full article from the South Lake Tablet

Learn More About Our Youth Construction Academy

VHS seniors, habitat joining forces again

Danielle Stroud, right, senior director of development for Habitat for Humanity of Lake-Sumter, gives a high-five to Michael Goodridge, a 12th-grade member of The Villages High School’s Construction Management Academy who will help build a Habitat for Humanity home on Orange Circle in Lady Lake. -George Horsford, Daily Sun

Danielle Stroud, right, senior director of development for Habitat for Humanity of Lake-Sumter, gives a high-five to Michael Goodridge, a 12th-grade member of The Villages High School’s Construction Management Academy who will help build a Habitat for Humanity home on Orange Circle in Lady Lake.
George Horsford, Daily Sun

Dressed in her work boots, Villages High School senior Ashley Hess looked over the patch of grass Friday where, soon, she and her classmates will build a family’s home. “This experience will help me build something from the ground up,” she said. The Villages High School seniors, who are students in the school’s Construction Management Academy, joined about 40 others for a groundbreaking ceremony hosted by Habitat for Humanity of Lake-Sumter on Friday for a new home on Orange Circle near Lemon Street in Lady Lake. Habitat and the academy are working together on the project to provide a new home for Brandee Shields of Ocklawaha. Shields attended the ceremony before she headed to work for The Villages Health. The mother of two boys, ages 8 and 9, is looking forward to her new home.

“I’m excited, overwhelmed and so thankful to be a part of the whole process,” she said.

Habitat for Humanity of Lake-Sumter, with the help of volunteers and sponsors, builds affordable homes. The homes are sold to those who demonstrate a need and are willing to partner with the organization by performing activities such as participating in the building of their home. The home on Orange Circle marks the second that seniors in the school’s academy will work on, said Bruce Haberle, the instructor for the academy.

Last year, Haberle led about 11 seniors on the project. They worked from August until May to complete their first home. The program was such a success that Habitat and the academy decided to work together again, Haberle said.

This year, he will have five seniors working on-site during two morning class periods, and hopes to have seven more seniors in his afternoon class work on the home.

Click here for the full article by 

Learn More About Our Youth Construction Academy

Around the House: Community rallies for LHS Habitat project

Instructor Dan McCauley helps Leesburg High School Construction Academy student Austin Marshall with plumbing on a project in 2018. [Daily Commercial file]

Instructor Dan McCauley helps Leesburg High School Construction Academy student Austin Marshall with plumbing on a project in 2018. [Daily Commercial file]

The upcoming school year for the Leesburg High School Construction Academy promises to be exciting, challenging and very rewarding as the students are partnering with Habitat for Humanity of Lake-Sumter to build a home for a local family. The home will be constructed at 107 North 12th Street in Leesburg, which is just off Main Street and close to First Baptist Church of Leesburg. Although the owners o

f the home have not been determined by Habitat, the approval process should be completed by the group in early fall.

“Habitat for Humanity is a hand up, not a handout,” said Kent Adcock, president and CEO of Habitat, adding that the group has a qualification process that requires “sweat equity” homeownership for each project.

The Construction Academy’s Habitat project is a community project that is truly a collaborative effort.

The revamped Construction Academy was one of the top priorities of incoming Lake County Schools Superintendent Diane Kornegay, who mustered the construction industry to support an $866,000 grant from the state of Florida. Through the efforts of Kornegay and the Lake County School Board, LHS received the grant last summer. Lynnea Weissman, grant project manager for Career and College Readiness, was tasked by Lake County Schools to develop the construction program and institute Kornegay’s vision.

A great deal of the success of the project is owed to State Rep. Jennifer Sullivan and State Sen. Dennis Baxley, who championed the grant in the Florida Legislature.

Weissman assembled an advisory board of local leaders who committed to the program’s success by meeting monthly to help develop a career pathway for students in the construction trades. The board brought real world construction expertise to the academy and helps with mentorships, training, demonstrations and the development of soft skills needed for employment. The board also assisted in setting up the first Academy of Construction Technologies (ACT), which allows member construction companies to hire students for summer paid internships. Students in the LHS Construction Academy now have the opportunity to work in real construction jobs at very attractive pay rates. Plus, these students are seeing firsthand the lucrative jobs offered in the building trades.

Click here for the full article by the Daily Commercial

Learn More About Our Youth Construction Academy

Youth Construction Academy Program Sponsor: United Way

Youth Construction Academy Program 2019 Sponsor United Way of Lake & Sumter Counties

Jasmine Jacobs held tightly to her 6-year-old daughter’s hand as they walked up to their new home together. Awaiting their arrival were some of the people who helped her become a first-time homeowner, including 11 seniors from the construction management academy at The Villages High School. The young builders stood proudly outside the brand-new home on Winners Circle in Lady Lake as it glistened in the sunlight Friday morning.—Rachel Stuart, The Villages Daily Sun

As the first graduating class, the success of the partnership between the Villages Charter School and Habitat for Humanity of Lake-Sumter was evident in the smiling faces of the new homeowner, students, teachers, and sponsors alike.

As the Youth Construction Academy expands to include Leesburg High School and over 70 new students; the success and growth of the Youth Construction Academy is due in no small part to United Way of Lake-Sumter. United Way has chosen Habitat for Humanity of Lake-Sumter to receive an education grant in support of the Youth Construction Academy.

The Villages Charter High School students worked alongside industry professionals, instructors, and Habitat Construction Manager, Barry Martin, to build the house as part of their capstone project; construction began in August with the students building as their first period class.

“They were able to hone their construction skills and get a realistic feel for the business,” said Bruce Haberle, instructor of the construction management academy. “It’s a team-building experience where they were able to give back to those who are less fortunate.”

United Way’s mission is to “advance the common good by focusing on education, income and health,” Habitat of Lake-Sumter and United Way share in the belief that these three things are the “building blocks for a good life—a quality education that leads to a stable job, enough income to support a family through retirement, and good health.”

Thanks to United Way of Lake-Sumter and their ongoing partnership with Habitat’s Youth Construction Academy, the graduating class will be the first of many students to gain experience, acquire employable skills, and engage in the social responsibility and community impact that shapes professional and personal development.

“It’s been amazing, and they’ve done a great job,” said Danielle Stroud, Senior Director of Development for Habitat for Humanity of Lake-Sumter. “We really hope they learned something along the way, which is the purpose of this partnership.”

Check out some photos from the dedication on our Facebook Page!

VHS seniors build family’s first home

Swayde Farring, left, a senior at The Villages High School, hugs Jasmine Jacobs, center, of Lady Lake, as her daughter, Carmen, 6, stands by during the dedication of their new home Friday in Lady Lake. It’s the first home VHS students have built through the school’s construction management academy. -Bill Mitchell, Daily Sun

Swayde Farring, left, a senior at The Villages High School, hugs Jasmine Jacobs, center, of Lady Lake, as her daughter, Carmen, 6, stands by during the dedication of their new home Friday in Lady Lake. It’s the first home VHS students have built through the school’s construction management academy.
Bill Mitchell, Daily Sun

Jasmine Jacobs held tightly to her 6-year-old daughter’s hand as they walked up to their new home together. Awaiting their arrival were some of the people who helped her become a first-time homeowner, including 11 seniors from the construction management academy at The Villages High School. The young builders stood proudly outside the brand-new home on Winners Circle in Lady Lake as it glistened in the sunlight Friday morning. For the first time, Habitat for Humanity of Lake-Sumter partnered with The Villages Charter School to build the house. Construction started in August, with the students working several days a week until it was completed.

“They were able to hone their construction skills and get a realistic feel for the business,” said Bruce Haberle, instructor of the construction management academy. “It’s a team-building experience where they were able to give back to those who are less fortunate.”

Habitat for Humanity, a housing organization that works with communities across the nation, chooses its recipients through a first-come, first-qualified process.

Jacobs, a retail store manager, learned she had been selected after going through several steps for approval.

“I was overwhelmed,” she said. “I was like, ‘Is this really happening?’ But now that we’re at the tail end of it, I’m just so excited.”

The families chosen by Habitat for Humanity are required to contribute 200 hours of sweat equity, which means they take part in the building process.

Jacobs helped by greeting and thanking volunteers and donors, and she also took financial-education courses, credit counseling and first-time homebuyer courses.

“I got to help do the outside, and I did some caulking, painting and flooring,” she said. “I had no idea what I was doing, but the kids from school were very nice and helped me out.”

She said she enjoyed working with the students because they brought some lively energy to the site.

“They were loud and funny, making jokes and blasting music,” she said. “They made it fun.”

This is the first home students have built through the academy, which launched last school year.

“It’s been amazing, and they’ve done a great job,” said Danielle Stroud, director of development for Habitat for Humanity of Lake-Sumter. “We really hope they learned something along the way, which is the purpose of this partnership.”

 

Youth Construction Academy: Builds Dreams

Youth Construction Academy: Builds Dreams

For Jasmine and her six-year-old daughter, the dream of owning a new home began with an email from The Villages Charter Schools. For the students at the high school, they began building those dreams a year earlier.

The Villages Charter School, in The Villages, Florida, had just launched their Construction Management Academy and had assembled an advisory committee that included industry experts to help steer curriculum for the new academy. Don McGruder, CEO of RoMac Lumber and a member of the advisory committee, suggested the academy partner with Habitat for Humanity which then began working with the high school to hammer out the details of a partnership as soon as possible.

The following year, an email looking for applicants to participate as the home owner landed in Jasmine’s inbox. “I remember when I was chosen for the opportunity,” said Jasmine. “I was super excited and I’m still trying to wrap my mind around it.”

Jasmine’s daughter Carmen was overjoyed as well. “She was literally jumping for joy,” Jasmine said of her daughter’s reaction to being told they were getting a home of their own. “She’s excited about finally having a backyard.”

As for the students participating in the Construction Management Academy, they were excited about the opportunity to give back to the community while preparing for employment or advanced training in the building construction industry. The academy’s curriculum, which is a credit course for the students, outlines opportunities to learn everything from basic use of hand tools, plan reading and rough carpentry to more advanced concepts such as site preparation, estimating and knowledge of codes, regulations and sustainability issues relevant to the construction industry.

The academy’s students have had hands on involvement with everything except for plumbing, HVAC, and electrical work which must be done by licensed professionals. Even so, they were able to observe those trades being performed in a live environment and were presented with speakers and other learning opportunities to increase their knowledge of those trades.

Jasmine learned some new skills as well by helping with painting and the installation of the home’s dry wall. And, while her daughter was too young to help in the construction, they were both able to meet some of the young men helping them realize their dream. They have a great group of kids working on the house,” said Jasmine.  “It’s amazing to see what these young men have accomplished.”

The mother-daughter duo gets to see those accomplishments on a near daily basis. “They’re ahead of schedule and we’re closing in April,” said Jasmine who takes Carmen to check on their new home every day after school. Jasmine also noted Carmen’s excitement at seeing all of the young kids playing in their future neighborhood. “I’m excited because now we’ll be in a new neighborhood and I can make new friends,” shared Carmen.

The partnership with The Villages Charter School has been such a success that Habitat for Humanity is already in the process of selecting a home site on which to work with the academy next year. Habitat is also extending the program into Leesburg where it plans to partner with Leesburg High School on a similar program.

As for Jasmine and Carmen, they are planning on celebrating their move with both of their birthdays in June. “We’ll be having a housewarming party with some friends and family as well,” says Jasmine. But Carmen has much bigger plans. “In June, for my birthday, I’m going to have a mermaid slumber party with all my friends and cousins!” Surely a place and time for new dreams to come true.

By David Larrick

Academy Students Get Hands On

Students experience building firsthand

Kaleb Ward, left, a senior at The Villages High School, and Bruce Haberle, construction management academy instructor, work on the roof trusses on a Habitat for Humanity home under construction Thursday at Winners Circle in Lady Lake. -Bill Mitchell, Daily Sun

Kaleb Ward, left, a senior at The Villages High School, and Bruce Haberle, construction management academy instructor, work on the roof trusses on a Habitat for Humanity home under construction Thursday at Winners Circle in Lady Lake. Bill Mitchell, Daily Sun

A local family soon will have a home with the help of 11 seniors from The Villages High School.

The students are building an 1,100-square-foot house in Lady Lake through the school’s Construction Management Academy’s partnership with Habitat for Humanity, a housing organization that works with communities across the nation.

On Thursday, the roof trusses were set on the house where the students have worn hard hats and climbed ladders four days a week since the beginning of the school year.

VHS Principal Bill Zwick stood at the construction site to observe and admire their hard work.

“This gives them the total experience of building a house from beginning to end,” Zwick said. “When they graduate, they’ll have this background knowledge. It’s a learning experience that will benefit them no matter where they go in life.”

The students started building the back wall Aug. 16, and their hands will be on the house until the project is complete at the end of the school year. So far, they are on schedule.

The two-year academy launched last year, and this is the first year it has been offered to both juniors and seniors.

The juniors learn the basics of construction and go through the Occupational Safety and Health Administration 10-hour training, and the seniors put their skills to the test.

“It gives us a good foundation to build a career,” said senior Colby Sharp, 17.

Click here for the full article!

Lake County students continue building home

 – A Lake County class has high school students building a home with their own hands.

The class works to build a home within the school year, leaving them nine more months to go. At the end of those months, the home will be turned over to Habitat for Humanity. The students will complete everything that is not mechanical, plumbing, or electric. As of Thursday morning, the foundation has been poured in and they are setting up the roof.

Students come out to build the home four days a week. Friday’s are held in the classroom.

Taking the classroom outside, students learn to build homes

 

Click here for more!

Lake County high school students learn how to build homes

Students who are part of the inaugural senior class of the Youth Construction Academy, a new program Habitat for Humanity of Lake-Sumter, are learning how to build homes. (Sarah Panko, staff)

Students who are part of the inaugural senior class of the Youth Construction Academy, a new program Habitat for Humanity of Lake-Sumter, are learning how to build homes. (Sarah Panko, staff)

THE VILLAGES, Fla. — Some Lake County high school students are not only getting an education, but also learning how to build homes.

  • 10 students are part of Youth Construction Academy by Habitat for Humanity
  • Students first learn the skils and tools in the classroom
  • Then they take those lessons and apply them into building a house

Knowlen Kirkland is an 18-year-old senior at The Villages Charter High School. He says he wants to study construction management in college.

“My Grandpa was a shop teacher, my Dad and me remodeled my entire house and I enjoyed it all,” he said.

Kirkland is one of 10 students who are part of the inaugural senior class of the Youth Construction Academy, a new program Habitat for Humanity of Lake-Sumter started last year.

Barry Martin, construction manager for Habitat, is supervising the students as they build a three-bedroom, two-bath house in Lady Lake.

Click here for the full article!

VHS, Habitat Team up to build a home Together

Students from The Villages High School Construction Management Academy will be lending a hand in the construction of a Habitat for Humanity home this fall. The project will give them the opportunity to gain firsthand experience on a job site.<br /> Bill Mitchell, Daily Sun

Students from The Villages High School Construction Management Academy will be lending a hand in the construction of a Habitat for Humanity home this fall. The project will give them the opportunity to gain firsthand experience on a job site.
Bill Mitchell, Daily Sun

Habitat for Humanity of Lake-Sumter will break ground on a new home soon, but the construction crew may look a little younger than usual.

The Villages Charter School and Habitat for Humanity are teaming up through The Villages High School Construction Management Academy to give participating seniors the opportunity to gain firsthand experience on a job site.

Construction on the first home students will have a hand in building will begin in August, but families interested in applying for the home in Lady Lake can do so today through Tuesday by clicking here: habitatls.org/programs/home-ownership/qualifications or by calling 352-483-0434.

“Part of the ramp-up was deciding what projects students would take on, because all of our academies are project based,” said Randy McDaniel, the charter school’s director of education.

VHS academies begin with an advisory board made up with professionals from that field.

“We organized a group of people to be on the construction board and began brainstorming sessions,” McDaniel said. “It was during that discussion that one of the architects mentioned Habitat for Humanity.”

Thanks to the partnership, students in the academy with an interest in construction will have the opportunity to gain real-life experience.

“It’s just like all of our academies — the closer you can make the experience to real life, the better it is going to be,” McDaniel said. “They’re going to be learning how to build a house. They will be there from the foundation to completion. That’s about as real world as you get.”

McDaniel said students will practice time management. They will learn how to meet demands and deadlines, and they will gain pride in their work and skills they learn.

“We are very excited about the opportunity for the kids and the school,” he said. “Plus, Habitat’s mission to help people become homeowners is pretty big. My hope is that it goes really well and becomes a long-running partnership.”

As instructor for the academy, Bruce Haberle will oversee the partnership.

Click here to read the full article.

Construction Academy welcomes partnership

Habitat Lake-Sumter Construction Manager, Barry Martin giving tour of trailer

If you thought construction in The Villages was booming — you haven’t seen anything yet.

Now, all eyes are set on training the next set of builders and craftsmen.

On Tuesday, representatives from The Villages High School’s Construction Management Academy were joined by community and business partners to officially announce a partnership with Habitat for Humanity of Lake-Sumter.

Starting in August, 12th-grade students enrolled in the academy will no longer start their day in the classroom, but rather on the job site working side-by-side with volunteers to construct an anticipated 1,200-square-foot, 2-3 bedroom home.

“This gives the kids the ability to build a home from start to finish,” said Larry Green, construction management teacher at VHS and resident of the Village of Osceola Hills. “They’ll get to be a part of all the different components — from the ground substructure, all the way to the top of the roof.”

The school currently offers nine academy options to juniors and seniors, including health sciences, engineering, entrepreneurship and more.

Both agriscience and construction management were added prior to the start of the current school year, largely to accommodate growth and demand

in The Villages.

Tuesday’s partnership with the local chapter of the nonprofit organization was the result of many months of planning that included gaining building permits, negotiating with insurance providers and attracting local business partners.

“It’s going to be exciting working with these young people,” said Barry Martin, construction manager with Habitat for Humanity of Lake-Sumter, who already has secured the site for the new home off Griffin View Drive in Lady Lake.

“You know not everybody is cut out for college,” added Martin. “In construction, there’s just so many different arenas that you can go into. Each one of them all have the potential to make an excellent living, and maybe even start their own businesses one day. Being able to share with them the joy in building a home, and seeing something like this go up — it’s just going to be awesome.”

Tuesday also served as a platform to unveil a new 24-foot trailer designed by Mike Manly, owner of MiCo Customs — a Wildwood-based residential and commercial contracting service.

Click here to read the full article.

Program Spotlight: Youth Construction Academy

blueprints

As part of Habitat’s ongoing efforts to strengthen the community, we recognize the need to engage our youth in that goal as well. To spearhead this effort, we’re starting a new initiative called the “Youth Construction Academy.” The purpose of this program is to interact with the next generation on a meaningful level. This means not just showing them what we do, but teaching them. Through the coordination of multiple groups, we’re aiming to get high school students onto an active job site to begin learning about construction science.

For our portion of this program, Habitat for Humanity of Lake Sumter will provide the job site, professional supervision, and all materials and equipment needed to build. Our extensive experience in home construction as well as our personnel and equipment will simplify the process for schools and students. This helps ensure they can focus on the educational aspects of the program while we handle the back end. In conjunction with our site supervisor, we will also have experienced volunteers working alongside the students to provide extra help and engagement.

By creating and maintaining partnerships with local schools, Habitat is able to ensure that students receive an on-site instruction that is matched in the classroom. This curriculum will cover a large range of topics relating to construction science, site safety, laws and regulations, and more. This curriculum also ensures that upon successful graduation from the program students are able to receive a recognized certificate of completion. This certificate, and the backing schools behind it, will hold weight and legitimacy with potential employers, assuring them that the student is familiar with the industry and ready to begin their career.

Habitat’s entire mission is built on the support of the community. Without it, needs are left unmet and communities are not able to grow. By not just teaching students how to build but giving them a reason to, the mission is able to carry on into future years. This program will address both community and individual needs, through home building and skills training, and the effect of both will lead to a stronger community.