High schoolers build tiny homes for disabled veterans

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Three high schools in Township School District 214 are working together for a cause.

By measuring, cutting and drilling, students at Buffalo Grove, Rolling Meadows and John Hersey High School are making a difference from thousands of miles away.

"We're currently working with a program that builds tiny homes in Savannah Georgia, those homes will go to disabled veterans and the homeless population down there," technology and automotive teacher Sean Murrin said.

The students will frame the walls for 20 tiny homes that will be shipped to the Veterans Village in May.

"I see all these people all over the world do all these cool things and I've always wanted to be a part of that," sophomore Ellisa Johnson said. "I'm really happy that I get to do this."

To get involved, students have to enroll in a math class, Geometry Construction.

"It's like half construction, half math class. One day we'll be learning about algebra and the next we'll be cutting and making stairs." Johnson said.

The district got the idea from a school in Colorado and decided to apply it for students here.

"Math isn't always in a textbook. It's around us every day, we use it and see it every day and this class gives those kids an opportunity who maybe don't see math as important... here it's important every day," Murrin said.

And just like math, students are learning the importance of giving back.

"Teenagers like us, we're the next generation of technology and advancing things so we should step outside of our comfort zones and do something for someone else," sophomore Jessie Guzman said.