HOPKINSVILLE, KY (CHRISTIAN COUNTY NOW) – In partnership with Hopkinsville Community College, Habitat for Humanity of the Pennyrile is currently building a new home in the city. So far this year, the organization has completed six homes in the region, with six more already under construction.

“Developing more housing in the Hopkinsville area is essential to meet the growing need for safe, affordable homes,” said Brian Keith with Habitat for Humanity. “Every new home we build strengthens the community and provides stability for families, supporting the local economy, and contributing to a stronger, more vibrant Hopkinsville.”

The current structure under construction in Hopkinsville is at 910 East 21st Street, with a family already selected to move in after completion. This home will have three bedrooms and two bathrooms at just over 1,200 square feet.

Hands on student experience

“We get a house sponsored every year that the students are able to work on and it’s their kind of pride and joy during the course,” Construction Technology Coordinator Austin Page told Christian County Now. “It’s a really good collaboration between Habitat for Humanity and our program because they get hands on experience.”

The construction technology course that supplies the students was started at Hopkinsville Community College to teach the fundamentals of carpentry ranging from surveying the ground, to installing cabinets and finishing trim over multiple semesters. Page says building the homes gives students confidence in using their tools and getting a good foundation before going into the workforce. So far, they have built five homes in Hopkinsville and one in Oak Grove.

“A lot of these students are local so they to drive by this house have some sense of pride in the community,” said Page. Jaran Miller and Isaiah Shultz are both students who were on the construction site bright and early on Nov. 13, working on finishing framing of the home before moving along to the next steps.

Miller said he is grateful for the real-world experience and is hoping to use his learned skills to build movie sets. As a civil engineer major, Shultz is hoping to use the skills he has gained in the class for his future career, saying that this opportunity supplies him with a multifaceted approach to his education.

Work on the home will continue through HCC’s spring semester, allowing students to take the reins. As of Nov. 13, framing of the exteriors walls has been completed by students with interior walls underway. The home is expected to be completed by late May or early June.

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