“It’s a little leap of faith that we can take a house, we can purchase it, we can renovate it, and we can do it with students, and we can get the community to buy in and create this,” Ryan Schlabaugh told the crowd gathered in the driveway of 721 6th Street on Monday night. 

It is a leap of faith that is paying off, not just for the City Administrator, but for the students, industry partners, and greater community that has worked on and supported the student-built home this summer in Kalona.  What was once an unfortunate rental house in need of work, is now a beautifully remodeled home nearly ready to be put on the market.

“It does feel very satisfying seeing it all done.  It also does feel bittersweet.  It’s nice to see it all done, but also it was really fun to work on and I want to keep working on it,” student-builder Josiah Vallejo said. 

The Mid-Prairie graduate now attends Kirkwood Community College’s Architecture, Construction, and Engineering (ACE) Academy.  Working on the house this summer strengthened his interest in a career in the building trades.

“If anyone would be interested in this, I would definitely recommend it.  It was a very, very good experience and very fun overall to do.  Very good people involved as well,” he said. 

Vallejo and his fellow student-builders, including Alex Bean and Kyan Nash, both of Mid-Prairie High School, were recognized for their contributions to the project at the open house.  Hills Bank presented them with hammers, and KCTC provided them tool belts.

“It’s encouraging to see the kids doing something, to give them opportunities to do other things than just go to college, to show them the trades.  The trades are hurting, and we need people in the trades.  I was excited about the project and it turned out great,” Kalona Mayor Mark Robe said.  “There’s still work to do, but it turned out really nice.”

Other elected officials turned out on the pleasant summer evening to recognize the collective achievement the student-built home project represents.  A representative from Senator Chuck Grassley’s office was in attendance, as was State Senator Kevin Kinney, and Washington County Supervisor and East Central Iowa Council of Governments member Bob Yoder.  Jay Iverson, Executive Director of the Home Builder’s Association of Iowa, also attended.

Many industry partners helped make the student-built house a success, including the City of Kalona, Kalona Cooperative Technology Company, Washington County Economic Development Group, Eastern Iowa Council of Governments, Vocational Training Council in conjunction with the Greater Iowa City Home Builders Association, and other sponsors and contributors.

Dwight Seegmiller, President and CEO of Hills Bank told the crowd, “You can drive by this house decades from now and say, you know, I was a part of that.  And that’s a cool thing.”