Auburn High School took on a life-size endeavor that usually requires a team of trained carpenters and engineers and scaled it down to fit the classroom for students to handle with the Tiny House Project in 2018.

After many hours of work with building science and construction teacher Jessica Bowlin, the project was unveiled at the end of October.

The 220-square-foot home comes with appliances like a washer, dryer and stovetop, along with a working bathroom and space for a bed. 

The house is up for sale to the public and will be sold to the highest bidder. Bidding begins at $30,000 and will continue until Nov. 23.

Auburn High School is the only school in the state to build a project on this scale, Bowlin said.

During the construction of the Tiny House, students learned how to frame and see a project through from start to finish. The class learned skills like installing insulation, designing walls using digital software, constructing walls and building stairs. 

This project knocks out three of the class’s main course objectives while raising money for the next class to build another their project.

Throughout the process of building the Tiny House, Bowlin said she encouraged and trusted her students the entire time.

“These are the world-changers of our future, and they will go on to advance society in far greater ways than ever before,” Bowlin said. “These students are creative problem solvers, tech-savvy innovators and technically-skilled citizens.”

Neither exam weeks nor harsh weather could stop the team as they continued to work on the Tiny House. 

Bowlin was recognized among staff and students alike by receiving the AHSome Educator Purpose Award, which Auburn High School awarded her to show their appreciation for her devotion to helping students gain life experience while developing a passion for learning, Bowlin said.

“While placing students in the industry is an important goal of mine, my ultimate goal is to instill the value of learning into every student that walks in my door,” Bowlin said.

Bowlin and her students working on the Tiny House helped Auburn City Schools Career Tech Education Programs win four first place Public Relations Awards at the 2019 Alabama Career Tech Association Spring Conference in Orange Beach.

“We believe that communities thrive only to the degree that education of all is a shared commitment,” Bowlin said. “We believe that collective efforts always surpass individual potential. We believe that a culture of excellence is our greatest legacy.”