LTEC open house shows off next Habitat Home
House blessing today at 2:30 p.m.

 

[May 06, 2023] 

On Thursday May 4th the Lincolnland Technical Education Center Building Trades held an open house at their new build at 330 Fourth Street.

The home is an open concept with the living and dining room area. There are three bedrooms and two full bathrooms. In the back of the house is a laundry room/mud room. Large hallways were eliminated for more space. All the walls are insulated, which will help with both temperature and sound control. The residents will be able to park on the street or in the back off the alley because of the way it was built.

Many of the students involved in building trades had their families with them at the open house to show the work they had done and provide a guided tour.

LTEC Director Matt Puckett, building trades instructor John Ford, and Habitat for Humanity representative Jamie Voyles.

This year was Ford's fourth year as a building trades teacher, and he has helped oversee four building projects.

Ford faced a challenge during his first year teaching the program when construction on the house was halted four weeks from completion due to the closure of schools due to COVID.

Though the closure extended through the last several weeks of school, the project still needed to be completed. Fortunately, Ford is a construction expert who had actually designed the entire home from the ground up. Therefore, he set about the task of completing the home on his own so the school could move forward with the selling process.

Puckett said building the house is a great experience for the kids. He also thinks it is great to have the community support plus support from Habitat for Humanity and all the schools. Schools involved in the LTEC program are Greenview, Hartsburg-Emden, Illini Central, LCHS, Mount Pulaski, PORTA and Williamsville-Sherman. Next year, Delavan will join the program.

LTEC student Caitlin Summers said she gained a lot of experience putting up a roof wall and cabinets. She found it to be a good experience and learned a lot.

Dakota Bawser, another LTEC student said his favorite part was the whole experience of building a house.

Something LTEC tech student James McCree, of Hartsburg Emden High School, learned was to always have a plan.

LTEC student Michelle Benner, another Hartem student, helped with the electrical and said she loved every bit of the work.

Because Habitat for Humanity funds the materials Voyles said that is helpful for the school. He said it is a good experience for the students. This is the third house the Building Trades class has built in partnership with Habitat for Humanity. The families chosen for the Habitat for Humanity house must put in 150 hours of sweat equity as the house is built.

Lincoln community high school has had a building trades program since the 1940s. It was in 1967 that LCHS and other area high schools partnered to form the LTEC building trades program.

Since then, LTEC has built several homes in the local communities and has also been involved with a number of refurbished and rebuild projects already standing.

In addition to building trades the LTEC program offers technical education in several areas. These include advanced metals, automotive technology, the Lincoln land CEO program, Computer Science, Cosmetology, Criminal justice, Culinary arts, and Health Occupations.

The program is open to juniors and seniors. Enrollment is open to any of these students regardless of their level of knowledge and experience. No prerequisite classes are required.

Those interested in learning more about LTEC can find more information on the LTEC website (LTEC41.Org) or call LCHS at 217-732-4131 extension 1282.

Habitat for Humanity will hold the house blessing for the new build this Sunday, May 7 at 2:30 p.m.

[Angela Reiners]