A few months from now, when the 1,805-square-foot home off Corinth Drive in Pasco is finished, Damian Corona has an idea how he’ll feel. “I’ll feel accomplished,” he said.

That’s because the 17-year-old senior at Chiawana High School will have helped build the home from the ground up through Pasco School District’s Vocational Building Program.

Damian is one of 45 students enrolled in the district’s Construction Trades class, which draws students from multiple schools. Students in the class spend hours at the construction site each week, gaining hands-on experience as they earn high school credit. Agriculture science, floriculture, and metals and welding technology students also are contributing to the home, which as of mid-October was two weeks ahead of schedule. It’ll go on the market when completed and will be the 23rd home built through the program.

John Marshall, teacher of the Construction Trades class, said students are gaining confidence along with construction skills. It’s rewarding to work with them, he said.

“The Pasco High School kids come in the morning for two hours and then the Chiawana kids come in the afternoon for two hours, so they pick up where each other left off,” he said.

While they can’t tackle some of the work, including electrical, plumbing, heating, ventilating and air conditioning – that’s left to professional subcontractors – the students “help with most other aspects of (construction),” Marshall said. That means they do siding, framing, interior trim, flooring minus carpet and more.

At the end of the day, “they get a great sense of self and accomplishment. They love it,” Marshall said.

Alex Tolentino, 18, a senior at Chiawana High, said he enrolled in the Construction Trades class to learn more about the industry. Both he and Damian, the fellow Chiawana senior, are interested in careers related to the construction field. “I hope this helps me in the future,” Alex said.

They both said they’re gaining important skills, including the kind that go beyond wielding a hammer.

“We’re learning leadership, teamwork and cooperation,” Damian said.

Alex added that, “It takes more than one person to build a floor, frame a wall. It takes teamwork.”

While they’re having fun building the home, they are looking forward to the finished product.

“It’s kind of (wild) to think that some teenagers built a house,” Alex said. “This is not something you’d think you’d do. To actually accomplish it is great.”

Damian agreed. “It feels nice to work on something like this,” he said. “Something special.”