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Southwest Tech lends helping hand to Habitat.MANCHESTER — Construction students from Southwest Vermont Regional Technical School District (Southwest Tech), a technical career and life skills program serving high school students in Southwestern Vermont as well as parts of New York and Massachusetts, have spent the last few months collaborating with Habitat for Humanity to build a home for a local community member and her two children.The collaborative effort, which gives students the chance to hone hands-on jobsite skills in the construction field, is a win-win for the two programs, allowing Habitat for Humanity to receive steady labor help, as well as qualify for special grants that incentivize working with students.Media and community members were invited to watch the students erect wall framing to the structure, and talk with school and Habitat for Humanity representatives on Friday, May 15 in Bennington.The students work the jobsite in two separate classes, which are both taught by Southwest Tech Building Trades Instructor Brian Coon.The day begins with a morning class (Building Trades 2) and follows with an afternoon class (Building Trades 1), representing different levels of progress within the program.The house project has been an ongoing effort for fifteen weeks, however students had to do much of the building from Southwest Tech’s in-school workshop due to weather conditions throughout the winter.Junior Hudson Burnell said that the project has given him some valuable work experience, and has been a rewarding endeavor.“Getting experience in something that I think I am going to do after school has been really great.It has been really fun, and it has been a great experience,” said Burnell.Junior Brady Cross said that he feels a sense of pride when he sees the project coming together.“It has been great, and the most rewarding part for me is seeing the walls go up.It makes it really look like we’ve done something, and I am pretty proud,” said Cross.Coon said that the building project gives students a chance to gain real, hands on experience, while giving back to the community.“The kids cut all of their own rafters and stuff like that, and those things are experiences they will be able to take with them after they graduate,” said Coon.“Being in building trades, I always think about how many different career fields I have to expose them to.My area of expertise is carpentry and framing, but I also try to expose them to things like concrete, painting, sheetrock, windows.It’s just exposure, to give them a chance to look at all the directions in this field there are to go into.Some of these guys will graduate and go off to be construction managers, some will become carpenters, and some will go in another direction and go into sales,” added Coon.Executive Director for Bennington County Habitat for Humanity Cindy Luce praised Coon’s leadership and guidance of the students, and said that Bennington County Habitat for Humanity is grateful for the student’s works.“[To Coon] I hope your students realize how lucky they are to have you teaching them.I just stood here listening and watching, and you work so patiently with them.I think that really makes a huge difference with what you are doing in the class with these guys.It really makes an impression on them wanting to stay in the trades.We really appreciate you all,” said Luce.Luce said that the building project, one of many Habitat for Humanity has partnered with Southwest Tech to achieve, is a win-win for the students and the organization.“It works well for both of us, because they give us labor and they are learning.It has also been made possible because we were able to get a loan for this project from the Vermont Community Loan Fund, which we are able to get by partnering with one of the tech schools in the state,” said Luce.“After the project is complete, there may also hopefully be a forgiveness grant to help make things affordable for the homeowner this is being built for.This construction grant is through an initiative where you have to have a partnership with one of the five tech schools throughout the state.Many of the Vermont Habitats have been doing that, because it really is a win-win since we are all struggling to have tradespeople who stay in the area.We are trying to encourage the students, and give them a hands-on way to see how they can give back and be a part of something that is bigger,” added Luce.