By Garrett Shiflet Ι The Villages Daily Sun Ι April 19, 2025
With a hammer and nails, students in The Villages High School are helping local families receive affordable housing.
The Villages High School’s Construction Management Academy with its partner Habitat for Humanity of Lake-Sumter held a home dedication ceremony for the Batson Family on Friday in Bushnell.
For Chandra Batson and her family, it’s life changing.
“I’m just excited and just overwhelmed,” Chandra said, teary-eyed. “It makes me cry and I don’t usually cry.”
Chandra Batson with her son, Leiland, and husband, Wilmoth, accepted ceremonial keys to their new home.
Chandra was working in her job as a CDL trainer for the Sumter County School District when she received an email about the application for Habitat and thought it was godsend.
“This is a sign,” Chandra said. “It’s not going to hurt to try it. I tried it and this is where we’re at now.”
Habitat homes aren’t free as they come with a mortgage. The families selected have to put in “sweat equity” by volunteering with Habitat for Humanity Lake-Sumter, take classes on home ownership and devote themselves to the project.
“It is not a giveaway program” said Brad Weber, chair on the board of directors for Habitat for Humanity of Lake-Sumter. “Habitat provides opportunity to those who may not have had the opportunity somewhere else. The family that is going to be owning this home, they
earned it.”
earned it.”
Chandra enjoyed the process.
“It’s been challenging, but you have to work for it. You have to have motivation and determination.”
Thirty-one seniors from the Construction Management Academy worked the home project along with other homes.
Students work alongside certified professionals and are involved in every aspect of the construction process, from putting on trusses to
hanging siding.
“It’s nice to see it finished and it’s nice to see the family happy about it,” said Anthony Bombara, a VHS senior and member of the academy. “It took a lot of work. A lot of hot days sweating a bunch, but in the end it was all worth it.”
Students had to work together to finish tough tasks like putting up the framing for the house.
“It was challenging, but it was also fun communicating with my peers,” Bombara said.
The house is three bedrooms and two bathrooms. It is furnished with new appliances.
The house was sponsored by Citizens First Bank, which has been a longtime supporter of the projects.
“This is a great thing,” said Jay Bartholomew, president and CEO of Citizens First Bank. “We love supporting it.”
Additional sponsors on the project included Schneider Electric, Whirlpool, Florida Paints and Levolor.
The dedication ceremony is the capstone for students to see their hard work during the past school year pay off.
“After working so hard, watching everyone else work and learning so many new things just to be able to pass this house down to someone who deserves it and needs it — it’s so rewarding,” said Jaxon Bruleson, a senior and member of the academy.
The academy offers the opportunity for students to get a head start on a career in construction.
Many of the academy’s students prefer a hands-on approach to learning.
“My favorite part is being out here on the job site with my friends and not being stuck in a classroom,” Bruleson said. “It is nice being
able to just get out and do stuff we enjoy doing instead of being in a book all day.”
Bruleson already has a job lined up after graduation working in the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning industry.
VHS takes great pride in being a part of the home building projects with Habitat for Humanity Lake-Sumter.
“This is a great honor for The Villages High School to be a part of this whole build, community and process,” VHS Principal Rob Grant said. “This is one of the greatest things that we do at the charter school.”
Chandra said her family are still thinking of what they want to have in their home. They are discussing various ideas such as putting up a fence and having an herb garden.
“It’s just good to have something of my own,” Chandra said.
The Construction Management Academy is building a total of four homes this year.