Layton High construction students build home for district employee

LAYTON, Utah — A newly-constructed home in Layton has quite a story behind it.

Looking from Chopper 5, you’d never know there was something unique about it, but the home was all built through a program at Layton High School.

Not only does it help them get some hands-on experience and college credit, but the finished product now goes to help a deserving family.

“Thank you so much,” said Traci Nickerson.

It was a big moment for Traci Nickerson Monday afternoon.

With the keys now in her hands, the brand new home is hers, and it has some great features.

“It’s open, woohoo!” she exclaimed.

Thanks to Rocky Mountain Power and Dominion Energy, it’s a net-zero home. But for Nickerson, it’s just a home, and that’s enough.

“Yeah, it means the world to me,” she said. “I’m single and I have boys that have mental challenges in life.”

Nickerson works in computer technology support at the Davis School District and was one of more than twenty who applied to buy the home.

“And I got it,” she said.

She’s elated and grateful to a high school senior. 

“I just wanted to say thank you for what you guys did,” said Nickerson.

Jesse Lindeman is just one of the many Layton High students who did this to learn.

“I have never done something this big,” said Lindeman.

He helped with the framing as part of his construction management class.

The program, with the help of Davis Technical College, gives them some course credit, even helping some graduate with jobs — all on top of the satisfaction of building a house.

“It’s really cool. I was not expecting it at all,” said Lindeman. “I imagined something different, and I got this beautiful house.”

All helping Nickerson live out the American dream.

“This is like, it’s amazing, it really is,” she said. “It’s amazing.”

It took Layton High students two years to build the home because of COVID-19 delays.

They’re currently looking for land to start on the next one.