Page 13 - TTWISpring2026

Construction Trades
Teaching Today Wisconsin | Winter/Spring 2026 Page 13

West Bend Students Near Finish Line on Habitat for Humanity Home

Nancy Kunkler, Communications Manager from West Bend, Kewaskum High School, and
West Bend School District Living Word High School working under the
A machine breakdown causing a three- direction of West Bend Technology Education
month siding delay. Wisconsin winters. For Teacher Rob Willmas.
the West Bend East and West High Schools When a machine failure at a siding facil-
students in the Advanced Construction class ity occurred, the project stalled. The delay
helping to build a Habitat for Humanity home stretched to three months, the kind of setback
in West Bend, the project has delivered far that derails timelines and tests the patience of
more than construction skills. It has delivered even seasoned tradespeople. For the students,
a masterclass in resilience. it became a teachable moment that no class-
The home is now on track for comple- room exercise could replicate.
tion in April 2026, a milestone that has been Willmas pivoted. Students took on
hard-won by more than two dozen students smaller construction tasks, while also focus-
ing on resume and cover letter writing, and
learning workforce
readiness skills. Contrac-
tors were invited into the
classroom to speak can-
didly about their trades,
including the work,
the challenges, and the
career paths available. That professional framework has shaped This Habitat for Humanity build demon-
“It’s not just about how students approach their work. They have strates what applied learning looks like at full
you,” Willmas has told been reminded repeatedly that the home they scale: East and West High Schools students
his students throughout are building is someone’s home. The project, encountering the same supply chain disrup-
the build. To deliver a now in its second academic year, marked a sig- tions, scheduling challenges, and professional
successful project, they nificant step up in scale and complexity from expectations that define careers in the trades.
must demonstrate com- previous Advanced Construction class projects. The delays were not a detour from the curricu-
munication, patience, Earlier student teams partnered with Habitat lum. They were the curriculum. Come April,
and attention to detail— for Humanity of Washington and Dodge Coun- those words will carry new weight.
the same standards any ties to construct tiny homes while fully indoors
employer or foreman at a local technical college. However, this
would expect on a job 1,920-square-foot, three-bedroom residence west-bend.k12.wi.us
site. in West Bend required pre-built framing to be
transported and assembled on-site.

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