TAFT, Calif. (KERO) — Students from the Habitat for Humanity Centennial Chapter at Centennial High in Bakersfield helped build a home for a local family in Taft.
- The Habitat for Humanity Golden Hawks club is the first of its kind in Kern County, offering hands-on building experience and is fully student-run.
- Students are learning various skills, including laying pipe, digging trenches, and nailing siding.
- The students are excited to contribute to a home that will benefit a mother and her two sons in need.
The sound of hammers and hard work fills the air as students from Centennial High School's Habitat for Humanity Golden Hawks, helped build a home for a local family in Taft Saturday morning. This unique collaboration of Habitat for Humanity and the high school offers students a valuable opportunity to transition from classroom learning to real-world applications.
“Students don’t always get the opportunity to be on the job site if they are underage, and in this case, with the proper permission slips and safety, we were able to have students actually work,” explains Pierre Peasha, the school's architecture and engineering teacher. Under his guidance, the Habitat for Humanity Golden Hawks club, the first of its kind in Kern County, provides students with hands-on building experience in a fully student-run environment.
The students are eager to take on various tasks. “So we're learning how to lay pipe, dig trenches for those pipes, work on nailing and siding, getting the walls on the exterior finished up,” says Allie Miller, one of the club members. She notes the challenges she faces on site, particularly with nailing siding. “Definitely nailing nails in the siding, they bend very easily, so getting that precise nail in was actually pretty difficult,” she shares.
Co-president Saffa Khan also emphasizes the value of hands-on experience. “It's really cool to see that in action here, like being able to see how things are built. I mean, we hear about it, but we never see it, so it’s a really good hands-on experience to get more knowledge about this,” she explains. What began as a small group with just Saffa and Allie has now expanded to a club of 40 enthusiastic students.
Peasha highlights a crucial lesson learned through this experience: “Many students don’t realize how much hard work it is to build homes or work in the construction field, and how rewarding it can be. Our students probably go home tired and satisfied today.”
The students are motivated by the knowledge that their efforts will provide a home for a mother and her two sons who truly need it. Their excitement and commitment to helping a family in their community is palpable.
As the day progresses, officials at Centennial High express their enthusiasm for future opportunities like this, recognizing the importance of hands-on learning and community service. Through initiatives like these, students are not only building homes but also building skills and character that will serve them well in the future.
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