Students at JEL are working on building a tiny home. The home will be built on a 32×8 ft trailer.
“The project wasn’t planned, it was more of an idea that came to life,” director of JEL Brian Funk said.
The project was started this year but will not be done until sometime next school year.
“The trailer was supposed to be here at the start of the school year, but then paperwork, getting it over here and the weather too pushed it back,” building and facility maintenance teacher Ken Acton said.
Before the start of building, there were several steps that had to be taken.
“The students had to make prints that fit the trailer before we could get to work,” Acton said.
Students didn’t get to start working on the actual trailer until just before winter break.
“We have started the flooring. We have the floor deck and the floor boards done,” Acton said.
Acton helps guide the students through their work but wants it to be their project.
“At the start they don’t know anything. A kid will get comfortable with tools then go out and create something on their own,” Acton said.
Once the trailer is done it will be sold and the money will be reused within JEL.
“We will put it up, and we’ll sell it. Then we will put the money back into use for another project. It is just a giant cycle,” Acton said.
Cost is a key factor in the production and design of their products so through selling their finished products, funding will be possible for new ones.
“The tiny home needed sheet metal so we ordered some and ended up getting it for free because the owner’s son went here,” Funk said.
JEL helps prepare students for their futures, and the tiny home is a perfect example of this.
“There are a lot of things that we’ll do with that tiny home that young people will get experience in. I think the biggest thing is that what you put in to it you will get out of it,” Funk said
JEL is often overlooked by students but it is truly a great resource.
“It [JEL] is the best kept secret on the north side, a lot of people don’t know what they are missing,” Funk said.
