Turning a house into a home

One of the Pruden Center for Industry and Technology's objectives is to give students hands-on experience, and for some, that means building a brick ranch house.The Building and Trades Program encompasses electricity, plumbing, carpentry and masonry. As with many programs at the center, this one incorporates real-world experience. Since 2004, students have been building a three-bedroom, brick home in Windsor, one that school officials hope to have finished and sold this month.Building/Trades Instructor John Thompson, has overseen the building of nearly 15 homes in his 20-year career with the Pruden Center. Students do not build a home every year, but do undertake some sort of construction project, such as the picnic shelter near Windsor High School.It is primarily the second-year class that works on the houses, and those students spend about two hours every day on the project, Thompson said. Read more