SAN ANTONIO – Some Northside ISD students are doing big things in small spaces. Construction Careers Academy, located on the Warren High School campus, is hosting a tiny homes showcase Saturday morning from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Along with the tiny homes, the showcase will also feature custom backyard sheds, a bunkhouse, deer blinds, an outdoor kitchen and an outdoor garden planting station. These projects were all student-built and will be for sale at the showcase.
CCA senior and valedictorian Caleb Montes worked as the electrician for one of the homes called the “New Yorker.” He said he and his classmates are ready to show off months of hard work.
“I worked on the circuitry side of everything, so I wired up the main panel with the breakers,” said Montes. “I essentially provided the means for power to reach the house. And then I also did an assortment of other electrical installations within the house, such as outlets, the stovetop, the microwave and water heater.”
The showcase is returning for the first time since 2019. It was paused due to the COVID-19 pandemic. CCA Principal James Mears said what these students have accomplished with tiny homes and the other projects is nothing short of amazing.
“We have some incredible instructors that came to us from the industry. Our students come to us with a lot of talents and abilities and we’re able to hone those abilities. And when you see our tiny homes, you’re really going to be impressed with the quality and craftsmanship of these students,” said Mears.
A total of 550 students are enrolled at Construction Careers Academy. It is a four-year public magnet school that trains students in the areas of electrical, HVAC, plumbing, pipefitting, carpentry, architecture, construction management and applied engineering.
“We’re fortunate to have a lot of our students that are job and skill ready that go right into the workforce,” said Mears. “We see them progress from freshmen to sophomore all the way to senior year. It’s incredible the amount of confidence that they leave this school with. In addition to all the skills, they’re prepared to do whatever their next step in life is.”
Montes is headed to UTSA after he graduates and will major in electrical engineering, taking with him a hands-on experience building these tiny homes from the ground up.
“It’s honestly phenomenal because when you first walk into these houses, they are pretty bare. As the days progressed, as we keep doing more and more work, they come out to these really beautiful looking houses and it’s just it’s great to be part of that process,” said Montes.
View the flyer below for more information on the showcase.
Tiny Home Showcase Flyer 2022 by RJ Marquez on Scribd