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Orleans/Niagara BOCES students building house for Habitat for Humanity

When completed in the spring, the home will go to a family in Buffalo.

BUFFALO, N.Y. — A Buffalo family will soon have a new house, thanks to the building trades students in the Orleans/Niagara BOCES program. The students in the two-year program have been working since last year on building a modular home for Habitat for Humanity. 

It's set up right at their school, where they collaborate on the project every day. It's the first time the school has partnered with the non-profit organization. Building Teacher Matt Anatasi says it's been crucial for the students to experience what a job site is really like, in a year when the pandemic has stopped him from being able to take them on class trips. 

"I really think when it's actually on the site and they cut the ribbon for the family to join, I think that will really cement how much they've accomplished," Anatasi said.

"It is a really amazing and satisfying feeling," said Senior Kevon Brown. "Knowing that we were able to build the house, and knowing that somebody else will be able to go in the house and enjoy it just like we were able to enjoy building it."

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Another senior, Zach Brunning, called the experience "crazy." 

"I don't know too many people who can say at 17 years-old that they built a house," he said. 

The house was originally scheduled to be done last spring, but due to COVID-19 work on it was pushed back to this year, meaning that more students total ended up working on the project. Anatasi says it will now be ready for a family in Spring 2021. 

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