Exciting things are happening on South First Street in Seward, where a construction site will soon be transformed into a home.
The project is run by Habitat for Humanity, an organization based out of Lincoln that partners with low- and moderate-income families to build affordable homes. Multiple volunteer groups help throughout the construction process for each home, creating opportunities for volunteers to learn valuable skills while helping families work toward becoming homeowners.
One group that recently helped with the First Street project came from UNL’s Durham School of Architectural Engineering and Construction, led by professors Emmeline Watson and Brandon Kreiling. The program hadn’t partnered with Habitat for Humanity before, until one of Professor Watson’s students approached her with the opportunity.
The student happened to be the stepson of Shay Homeyer, CEO and Executive Director of Habitat for Humanity. Watson connected with Homeyer, saying that they immediately clicked, and they began to work out a way to get students involved.
“I’m really about giving back to Nebraska, and I’m also a huge, huge believer in getting our students to be hands-on,” Watson said.
Watson and Kreiling created a three-week-long special topics summer class, with two weeks being spent in the classroom and the final week working full-time on construction.
The project gave students the opportunity to see what their studies looked like in the real world, as Watson noted that many of them had never held a power tool before this project.
“The idea was that this was a learning experience for students,” Kreiling said. “Many times we made an effort to not work so students could struggle through the problems to learn.”
Through all kinds of weather, students worked to build the structure, problem-solving and learning as they went. Watson emphasized how proud she was of her students’ effort, saying that they gained a new appreciation for the hard work that goes into construction.
“For students that are going to be in construction and engineering, I think it’s important for them to understand that their careers can change lives,” Kreiling said.
Watson was especially grateful for the number of female students who participated, citing how important it was for the group to understand the unique strengths and weaknesses men and women bring to a field that is often all-male.
Although the students have finished the class, several will continue to volunteer for the project because of the impact it has made on them, and there are talks of continuing this class next year.
Watson said she already has ideas of how to improve next time, as she hopes to bring in more industry partners to help with construction tools and materials. This would help offset the final cost of the home, keeping with Habitat for Humanity’s goal of providing affordable housing.
As construction continues on the First Street project, other volunteer groups will continue finishing the house, such as the Women Build group. This initiative from Habitat for Humanity aims to help women gain construction skills while impacting their community.
As this home is completed over the next few months and presented to its owners, watch for updates in the Independent. To volunteer, donate, or simply learn more about Habitat for Humanity, visit its website at lincolnhabitat.org.
