To eighth-grader Marina Damitio, building a tiny home for an unhoused family is more than just a regular school assignment — it’s becoming her passion.
At Nicolas Junior High in Fullerton, a woodshop class comprised of 22 eighth-graders has been diving into the world of construction by building a 192-square-foot tiny home that will provide a living space for an unhoused family in the Fullerton School District.
Once completed, the home will be fully furnished, complete with a kitchen, bathroom and living space for around three family members to reside.
The tiny home will serve as a temporary residence for a chosen Fullerton School District student and their family who are receiving assistance from the district under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, a federal law meant to support the education of homeless students.
“I absolutely love working on this project,” said Damitio. “Since beginning the process of constructing the home, I have learned so much about how to build something and what it takes to produce something good for a family. It has made me realize that I want to work in construction when I am older.”
The district is in the process of selecting a family to receive the home, said Jeremy Davis, the assistant superintendent of Innovation and Instructional Support for the district and one of the many leaders on the project, but he is excited for the day they can hand the keys over.
The home will be located on a small strip of land located on the Orangethorpe Elementary School campus.
“We are hoping that once we finish this tiny home, a second one can be placed right next to the first, also being built by students at Nicolas,” said Davis.
Although there is no explicit timeline for when the tiny home will be finished, Davis said he believes the main bulk of the construction is expected to be completed in May, and the district will then host a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the student’s accomplishments.
And the…
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