The Culver Building Trades class recently finished a project at Bass Lake. Vocational Director Jerry Hollenbaugh said a beautiful home – and one of the largest the class has worked on – was built for A.J. Gappa and his family. Students from Culver Community Schools, North Judson-San Pierre Schools and Knox Community Schools participated in this project under the direction of Kyle Elliott.
Gappa was chosen as his name was next on the list.
“Write a letter to Mr. Elliott and explain that you’re considering having a home built and get on the list,” said Hollenbaugh. “The list is long, but it always doesn’t mean anything. The reason I say that is sometimes when the next year comes and that person is in line to have a house built, things have changed – either they can’t build at the time or they don’t have the right lot. So, we go onto the next person and if that one’s not ready you go keep going down the list and that’s really how Mr. Gappa’s name got there.”
Gappa’s name had been on the list for about two years.
The homeowner pays for all of the materials and then whatever the students install, the class gets 20 percent for labor. In most cases, the students aren’t responsible for the foundation or cement work. Hollenbaugh commented that the students learn a lot with these projects.
“They learn a variety of things. We try to get them exposed to everything from roofing, plumbing, electric, framing, siding, everything. Even if the student in the long run doesn’t do this for a living later on, look at what they’ve gained about their own knowledge about their own home and even doing a lot of their own work,” said Hollenbaugh.
Junior and senior students usually take part in this project and dual credits are offered. Scholarships are also available to these students when they graduate.
The next project is ready to go for next school year and while they are still finalizing paperwork, the project is anticipated to be in Culver at Lake Maxinkuckee.
