“School teaches us nothing”: you’ve probably heard such bold statements or even uttered it when you moved out of your parents' house and realized how little you knew. While most of us never found a use for mathematic equations, this young woman believes that high school gave her the best possible skills to start as a grown-up. Oh, and also her very own house that she spent 3 years building!
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Ever since she was little, Victoria always wanted to go into construction. When her high school offered a house-building project, she immediately signed up
Image credits: KRDO NewsChannel 13
Who doesn’t love a good project? There's the initial excitement of planning, getting supplies and learning new skills and patience while creating something that will last for years. A lot of school projects usually end up in the memory boxes, gathering dust in parents’ attics. For Victoria Turner, 18, that is not the case. Her school project will be a constant reminder of the great time she had and valuable skills she picked up over the years.
Victoria’s story begins over a decade ago, when she was about 7 or 8 years old. She would always look up to her older brother who she believed had the coolest job ever – he worked in construction. To a little child, seeing someone being able to build things from scratch must seem like a superpower, so Victoria started dreaming of a career in construction.
When something is meant to be, the stars align in unexpected ways. Victoria’s Liberty High School offered a construction class that would teach students how to build an actual house, so the young lady wasted no time before signing up.
“Four years ago, when I realized I could be a part of a class where we build a house, I thought it'd be a good idea. So I applied,” she shared.
Image credits: Academy District 20
Victoria and over a hundred other high school students would spent the next three years working on the humble abode to be
Image credits: academyd20
Image credits: academyd20
Soon after, the hard work began. She and about 100 other students, some from her school and some from others, would pour hours into the construction of the 1200-square-foot house.
“It feels really good that I was a part of this,” Victoria smiled.
On average, the students would spend 6 to 9 hours a week working on the project and it took 3 years for the high schoolers to complete the project.
“For the most part, I pretty much did a lot of the carpentry, which is floorboard and stuff like that," Victoria recalled the process. She also did the majority of the plumbing, put up drywall and worked on the exterior of the house. While a lot of people have no clue how to change a lightbulb, this 18-year-old is out there becoming a Jack of all trades!
Image credits: academyd20
They would spend on average 6 to 9 hours a week; Victoria did the most of the carpentry and plumbing
Image credits: academyd20
Image credits: KRDO NewsChannel 13
As the project was coming to an end, the hardworking teens couldn’t stop hiding their delight seeing the house coming together. It had become so dear to Victoria, she didn’t want just some stranger to buy it.
“Last year I overheard our student liaison and Mr. Hernandez talking about some guy who wanted to buy it," she shared her discontent. "Then I made a joke about how if my mom bought it, it would be the biggest take-home project ever."
Turns out, her mom had a surprise for the student and replied: “Actually, I'm interested in that.”
Victoria wasted no time and rushed to her liaison officer, Mr. Hernandez, to deliver the happy news.
"So I brought it up to Mr. Hernandez and he told me that he would rather our family have it," she recalled.
“It feels really good that I was a part of this,” the teen shared her sense of accomplishment
Image credits: Academy District 20
Image credits: KRDO NewsChannel 13
On completion, the house was moved to her parents' property. She will be sharing the home with her sister
Image credits: Academy District 20
Victoria’s new abode was completed in December 2023 and transported to her parents’ property in January. To celebrate such an achievement, Liberty High School held a ceremony where the newest homeowner was presented with the keys to her house.
The 18-year-old revealed that she will be living there with her sister, taking the weight of worrying about rent prices off the young women’s shoulders.
"Nowadays, it's pretty expensive, so we won't have to rent an apartment or any of that. It's really nice to have our own little place."
And if Victoria decides she wants to change something around her very own home, she will have no trouble as she knows the house inside and out.
"I like that I know exactly where the beams are if I want to hang stuff up."
As Victoria continues to pursue a career in construction, she is excited to return home every night - a home she built with her very own hands
Image credits: KRDO NewsChannel 13
Fortunately, such projects aren’t a one-off thing and another home-building class is set to start next year. Who knows, maybe another lucky high school graduate will end up with a new home to kickstart their adult life?
“I think it's wonderful that District 20 allows this opportunity for people that don't want to go on to college, to have an opportunity to maybe get some trade to actually make a living,” Mr. Turner, Victoria’s dad, shared his appreciation of the project.
As for Victoria, she’s out there fulfilling her dreams. She’s currently employed at a local roofing company. One of her colleagues who has a whopping 30 years of experience in construction told Victoria that she’s only the second female in this field he has come across. Lucky for the ladies, this young woman is out there proving that they can do anything!
What do you think of this? Do you wish your school had something similar or maybe you were also taught some practical skills?
Commenters were praising the high schooler for her hard work and discussing the importance of schools teaching kids useable skills
