mily Clements doesn't view her senior year project at Carbon Career & Technical Institute as just helping to build a modular home.

She sees it as making someone's life better.It's something she plans to do as a career flipping houses for low-income families.CCTI's carpentry lab was buzzing Wednesday as Clements and her fellow students worked on cabinets and other components of the 14-by-40-foot single-wide home.This spring, the finished product will be delivered to a customer in Lake Hauto for only the cost of materials.The idea was pitched to CCTI's staff, namely supervisor of building and grounds Ken Walters, in January 2014.After the school's administration settled on a customer, drafting design and technology students began working with the prospective home owner to draw up plans."It was a one-of-a-kind experience," said Larissa Wanbold of Palmerton. "At first it was a little scary, but I want to get into civil engineering and this is a real world kind of project that we're working on right here at CCTI."When students arrived at the carpentry lab in August, only an empty trailer, courtesy of Simplex Homes, graced the room.The modular would be built right on the trailer from the floor up, hauled out to Lake Hauto and set on a pre-existing foundation provided by the customer on land already purchased.Most recently, Andy McFadden has been helping students install drywall and spackle it. Priming and painting will follow close behind on the checklist."I can't believe how far we've come on it," said Charles Worthington, a senior from Panther Valley. "We started off pretty slow, but everyone really came together and did what they were good at."For Worthington, that was working on the shingles for the roof. Classmate Logan Berger of Lehighton said he enjoyed insulating the home. Emily Ritter of Coaldale took pride in working on the siding."If you messed up with what side it was cut on, you had to start over," said Ritter, who plans on working in carpentry after graduation. "I also worked on the drywall and windows. It's an overall neat experience."The modular house is a unique project because students in multiple CCTI trades including electrical, plumbing and HVAC get hands-on experience."I was able to install the recessed lighting and run the wires for the receptacles among other work," said Gavin Newton, a junior from Weatherly. "We had done similar things in our shop here, but this was the first time I dealt with full-length wires. Residential wires are a little bit of a challenge, but that work is only going to help me in the future."Pleased with progressOverseeing multiple work areas each day isn't an easy job, but the pride Jeff Hazleton takes in his students' work makes it all worthwhile.Hazleton, CCTI carpentry instructor, said the confidence students gain throughout the project has been the most impressive part of the process."Some of these kids come in here and they haven't even swung a hammer before," he said. "Now, here we are in February and they have no hesitation in what they're doing. We have three females who are not scared to get dirty. The other trades have worked well with the carpentry students. The kids have done everything right down to ordering the lumber."That is really what this is about, getting them ready to walk out the door and be ready for a job."While John Stafiniak, a Lehighton junior, said he felt he knew a little bit about construction going into the project, "putting in a floor joist and throwing up walls," taught him a lot.Owen Miller first did hands-on work with a contractor when he was 14 years old, but even he is "learning something every day.""It's hard to get a feel for certain things in the classroom, so it's nice to put what you learned into action," Miller said. "I definitely enjoyed framing the walls. It's nice to see it all come together."Clements is one of those females not afraid to get their hands dirty and was a part of the modular construction from the ground up.A big part of laying beams for the foundation, she also helped with the subfloor, headers for the windows, raising the walls, the siding, and putting shingles on the roof."This project has given me the courage to hopefully flip houses for a career," she said.Hazleton isn't the only one impressed with the modular progress."It's been a pleasure working with CCTI and the seamless integration of all the different trade areas has been impressive," the customer, who didn't want to be identified, said. "I couldn't be happier with the process and, to this point, the end result."McFadden's drywall and spackle assistance isn't the only contribution from the private sector.Hazleton and Walters also credited Bruce Miller at Country Junction for helping with lumber delivery, Milton Stolzfus and Mark Conte from the Pennsylvania Department and Economic Development, Patrick Fricchione and Ben Bartoli of Simplex Homes, and Leszek Pankowski, who helped students with cabinetry work.Behind the scenesWhile the labor is free, materials are paid for by the customer."During the initial review of materials with the customer, we estimated this was going to cost $35 to $45 per square foot," Walters said. "If you choose high-end finishes and things like that, it would naturally push the cost up."The customer made a deposit at the time the contract was signed. It covered the lumber that allowed students to start framing for the modular.A second payment was due at the time of the rough-in inspection for items like plumbing and electrical, which happened before Christmas. The final payment will come before delivery in April."Before the students started the work, the plans went before Rush Township and the association out at Lake Hauto," Walters said.To get ready for the house, the customer has completed grading at the site, put in the septic line and been in contact with the water company and PPL."The customer has been excellent and very supportive of education," Walters added.The first modular went over so well, CCTI is already in talks with another customer for a second project."I look forward to working on those plans a lot," Dominic Berger of Palmerton said. "I've always wanted to be an architect and I'm ready to get that real world experience."