An area high school is helping build a better community -- literally.

Holton High School students are building a house to be sold through the city's Affordable Housing Program. They started at the beginning of the school year, working from the ground up.

Teacher Bob Phillips says the students work on and learn all the tasks, including plumbing, electric, painting and roofing. He says he hopes they learn how to use the machines and tools so they'll be able to do projects around their own homes someday, but he also hopes they develop a sense of community through doing their part to create quality, affordable housing.

Senior Tyler Miller is among those working on the project. He says he has learned a lot, and appreciates the opportunity to work on a job site. He says it's exciting to know a family will be moving into the home when they're finished.

Phillips says Holton implemented a lot of new ideas in the area of technology, but realized a need to keep the trades as part of the curriculum, too. He consulted with Seaman High School about its Habitat for Humanity homebuilding program before launching the Holton project.

This is the fifth Affordable Housing home Holton students have built. It should be finished by the end of the school year.