OGDEN, Utah -- Students at the Ogden-Weber Applied Technology College transformed a fixer upper into a beautiful home for homeless veterans.
Thirty construction technology students spent countless hours remodeling a house on 23rd St. The home will house up to five veterans, who would otherwise sleep on the street or in a homeless shelter.
"The students come in and they are like this is gross and they are disgusted. They don't want to be here," said Jason Werner, Job Site Coordinator for Ogden-Weber Applied Technology Youth Build Program. "And then as the house transforms, they start taking pride in it. They are happy to be here. They wanted to show it off."
The youth build program is made up of teens that have lost direction -- some dropped out of high school, but they are now back on track learning construction trades.
"Before the program I didn't know where I was going. I knew I needed to do something," said student Trevor Eggleston.
"I see a lot of kids who don't like to go to school and dropped out of high school -- but when they come here they are happy and they are doing what they like," said another student Beau Ellis.
Their teacher expects the remodeling project will help them get jobs, but the students say more than that they take away a feeling of accomplishment by simply knowing they've helped veterans out of a difficult situation.
"It feels good, because they'll have a home and a place to sleep at night -- and it's because of us," said student Austin Bauchard.
The homeless veterans will start moving in any day now and the students will move on with a college certificate in hand.
