Author: Tammy Lane • First Posted: Thursday, October 29, 2009

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Nearly a dozen students from Southside Technical Center spent a morning on a Habitat for Humanity site.

A Habitat for Humanity site just off Newtown Pike became a learning lab for about a dozen students from Southside Technical Center this week.

“There’s a lot of life lessons they can learn on the job,” said electronics instructor Bob Lankford, such as giving back to society and helping those in need. “I hope they learn to do things for other people.”

Southside Principal Daryn Morris also accompanied the group.

“I’m hoping they get a sense of belonging to the community and pride in the city of Lexington,” he said, adding that it’s critical for the students to realize, “Hey, my skills are wanted. I can help out here. I’m needed.”

What the students lacked in experience they made up for with enthusiasm – hanging shutters and vinyl siding out front, clearing brush and debris from the yard, and painting trim inside the Habitat house.

“We had to drill holes in the shutters and attach them to the windows. Once you got the first one done, it was really simple,” said Joseph Davis, a senior at Tates Creek High School whose focus at Southside is masonry. “It’s always good to learn new stuff and add to my skill level.”

The teens who worked on the Habitat site are all members of Southside’s chapter of SkillsUSA, a partnership of students, teachers and industry working together to ensure the nation has a highly skilled work force.

“It’s a fine activity for us to jump into,” Joseph said. “You get a good feeling, too, from helping someone else out.”

Rob Turner, volunteer coordinator with Habitat for Humanity, welcomed their assistance. “We thought it would be a good experience for the kids, and Habitat can always use able volunteers, particularly on weekdays,” he said.

A couple of the teens spent the morning painting all the baseboards and a window sill, along with the two exterior doors.

“At tech school, I usually learn how to make casts and stuff,” said Kayla Hall, a junior at Henry Clay High who is in the medical sciences program at Southside. “I’m glad I could help somebody have a house now.”