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CTE students build tiny house; district plans auction and donor support to sustain program
Summary
Career and Technical Education students at Ashley High School are building a 350-square-foot ‘tiny house’ as part of carpentry coursework, the district said, with industry partners providing mentorship and the district planning an auction to replenish project funds for future builds.
New Hanover County Schools’ Career and Technical Education program presented a tiny-house construction project underway at Ashley High School, describing how students in carpentry courses will frame, finish and outfit a transportable 350-square-foot house as a curriculum-based, work-based learning project.
Carpentry 1 and 2 students are scheduled to complete floor, wall, ceiling and roof assemblies under instructor supervision; industry partners — notably the Wilmington and Cape Fear Home Builders Association — have offered support for electrical, plumbing and HVAC trades that are outside the standard high-school carpentry curriculum. The district showed floor-plan renderings and explained that the structure is being built in modules so it can be moved on a flatbed and installed at a buyer site.
Assistant superintendent and operations staff described a funding plan: the district is seeking roughly $35,000 to cover parts of the build that are not eligible under CTE fund rules (the district said it has restricted savings and some donations to begin the project pending fundraising). The district plans to auction the finished house and said proceeds would be used to replace materials costs and to seed a second build for the next year, creating a recurring hands-on project for students.
Board members highlighted possible community uses — for example, donations to local housing nonprofits — and encouraged staff to pursue donations and sponsor support from local builders. Board member Josie Barnhart described her experience with the program’s pilot and said such projects expand student access to industry internships and apprenticeships.
There was no formal vote on funding at the meeting; staff said they would pursue private donations, use restricted funds as necessary to move the current build forward and provide an accounting of project costs and potential auction logistics.
