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Stafford High junior Ryan Goring looks out from the Drew home's master bedroom at neighboring houses in Clearview Heights subdivision. Ryan installed electrical wiring in the home, which was built by students in Stafford High's building-trade classes.
Building-trade classes designed and built this home, dubbed BOOTS XIII (for Bringing Occupational Opportunities To Students), a project of the Stafford County Vocational Educational Foundation. |
Not everyone would be comfortable buying a home built by teens, but Edward and Evelyn Drew of Stafford can't wait to move into their new ranch house on Winterberry Drive.
"I've been living in a three-story house," said Edward Drew, 80, carrying a cane. "Too many stairs. I've been looking for a one-story for years. They're hard to find."
Last summer, the couple heard high school students in Stafford County's building-trades classes were erecting a single-story, three-bedroom home.
The annual project, sponsored by the Stafford County Vocational Education Foundation, gives students work training in masonry, electricity, carpentry and drafting.
Local contractors and teachers oversee every aspect of construction and design. About 25 percent of this year's house was built by professionals.
At the end of each year, the house is sold. The money is used to buy the following year's house lot and materials.
The Drews immediately put their name on the list for the ranch house off Butler Road in southern Stafford.
As former educators--Edward Drew is a retired assistant superintendent of Stafford schools and Evelyn Drew is a former county teacher--they were undaunted by the youth of the home's builders.
Of course, they stopped by now and then to see how work was progressing.
"We know what's under the floors and behind the walls because we've watched it go up," Evelyn Drew said yesterday.
They paid $325,000 to buy the house, which is the highest sale price in the 13-year history of Stafford's student-built home program.
Yesterday, the Vocational Education Foundation threw an open house to showcase the students' class project.
People milled about on the lawn, admiring the house's red-brick exterior and landscaped garden.
Inside, people ran their hands over the cool tile of the whirlpool tub. Their feet sunk into the plush wall-to-wall carpeting. Their eyes admired the recessed lighting and high ceilings. Women stepped into walk-in closets with awe.
"It's really beautiful. I especially liked the his and hers closets in the master bedroom. It's a gorgeous home," said Stafford School Board member Dana Reinboldt.
Terry Wilson, who teaches building trades at Stafford High School, said he had a hard-working, enthusiastic team of students this year.
"This year, we had a great group of students," Wilson said. "It's a great reward for them to see the final product."
Wilson said he'd be comfortable living in the house. He hopes the family enjoys the open-air kitchen that extends into the family room.
"At parties, everyone tends to congregate in the kitchen. In this house, you have the family room and kitchen all at once," Wilson said.
Electricity students Sharleen Cleveland, 17, Chris Bennett, 16, and Russell White, 16, helped install the home's lighting fixtures and wiring.
They eagerly gave a tour of the home's electrical outlets.
In the family room, they pointed out their greatest achievement: the midfloor outlet.
To install it, they had to crawl through the basement, working on their backs.
"Like that dude who painted the ceiling," White said.
All three are signed up for the advanced electricity class next year. They will help build the project's next dwelling, also a ranch house, on Forbes Street in southern Stafford.
Each of them plans to become a professional electrician after graduation, and they recommend the class to other students.
"You never get bored," Cleveland said.
To reach KELLY HANNON: 540/374-5436 khannon@freelancestar.com
