Wayne and Beth Landis, second and third respectively in the front row, had Tippecanoe Valley High School Building Trades Program students, shown with them, construct their home and garage at 10189 S. Loon Drive, Silver Lake. An open house was held Sunday, May 19.

Text and Photos
By Leah Sander
InkFreeNews

SILVER LAKE — Wayne and Beth Landis’ new home on Loon Lake outside Silver Lake has many personal touches, in terms of materials.

Another personal touch is those who helped build it: former students of Wayne’s.

Juniors and seniors in Tippecanoe Valley High School’s Building Trades Program helped construct the home and a detached garage for the couple, who are both Tippecanoe Valley School Corp. teachers. Wayne is a Tippecanoe Valley Middle School educator, with Beth one at TVHS.

An open house was held Sunday, May 19, for the home at 10189 S. Loon Drive, Silver Lake.

“It’s awesome,” said Wayne of having students help build the home.

“To see what these kids have done is just absolutely incredible, and most of them … have really had no experience,” said Beth. “To just come over and see what all they have done means so much to Wayne and I because they’re kids. That’s what we live and breathe (as teachers).”

“Most of these kids I had in junior high,” added Wayne.

The two-story building is just more than 2,000 square feet and has three bedrooms and two baths.

Wayne and Beth emphasized the personal materials, which were utilized in the home. Slate and wood were reclaimed from the farm Beth grew up on. A lighting fixture in the kitchen includes a wheel from farm equipment belonging to her grandfather.

Wood from two trees, one which stood directly on the property and one next door, was used for the fireplace mantel and kitchen cabinets.

“We had this dream for probably 35 years … Now we’re able to be able to live with (it),” said Beth.

TVHS Building Trades teacher, Wes Backus, said kids started from scratch, working on floors and walls. He noted most of the 28 students who worked on the home were first-year students to the program.

“A full class, a lot of kids to keep busy, and they did a great job with this,” said Backus. “We got the metal a little bit late here, and literally this last Thursday, we put our last piece of metal on, so I mean it was rush, rush to finish that.”

Backus said trim and a deck still need to be finished. The kids were assisted by a number of contractors and suppliers.

Wayne noted he was “grateful” to the community, the students and their parents for the construction of the home.

One of those students is senior, Juan Murillo.

“I’m trying to get into a trade anyway after I graduate, maybe (become) an electrician or something like that,” he said.

Murillo said he enjoyed putting up the metal siding.

His classmate, junior Kevin Mar, said he “had a lot of fun” working on the home and probably would do Building Trades again next year.

“I made new friends during Building Trades,” he said.

Mar said he’d consider entering construction as a career.

Other students who worked on the home included: Cameron Mason, Cody Small, Damyean Williams, David Clemans, Wyatt Hart, Hugo Lopez, Eli Love, Matthew Owens, Emma Smith, Brandon Stiles, Braedon Wallace, Denver Wilson, Dalton Alber, Andrew Arroyo-Rodriguez, Aaron Backus, Brock Derf, Landon Durkes, Nate Engstrand, Alejandro Fernandez, Sebastian Garcia, Kolyn Grossman, Wes Haines, Nash Miller, Issiac Ramsey, Jair Santiago and Konnar Fountain.

If people wish to have a home built through Building Trades in the future, they should contact Backus at (574) 598-2101 or TVSC Superintendent Blaine Conley at (574) 598-2765.

The home has plenty of windows, which look out onto Loon Lake.

This light fixture in the home is made from a wheel from farm equipment that belonged to Beth’s grandfather.