REALTORS® Help Students Build Homes—and Bright Futures

Student Built Home. 

The name of the program is quite literal: High school students in the Quad Cities area work together under the direction of skilled instructors to construct a home. 

For decades, the Student Built Home Program has been teaching more than just construction skills. It’s been teaching confidence, teamwork, and the value of hard work. 

Under the steady leadership of Marty Eilers, president of Building Trades Inc. and a longtime REALTOR®, the program continues to shape futures, one home, and one student, at a time.

Marty joined the program nearly 20 years ago, drawn by his love of real estate and his respect for hands-on learning. 

“I was always interested in new construction,” he recalls. “Jon Yocum, who mentored me early in my career, got me involved. Once I saw how much impact it had on students, I was hooked.”

Yocum, who recently stepped back from the program after completing his 25th year, helped to revitalize the program in 1997. 

“I love it,” Yocum said of his long tenure with the program. “It’s grown over the years, and become a very, very successful program. It’s my baby.” 

The program, which was originally conceived in the 1970s, was restarted when Yocum was the public relations committee chair of the Greater Davenport REALTORS®. 

For each of the past 25 years, 15 to 20 students enroll in the program at the beginning of the school year. There are two sessions, a morning and an afternoon session, each guided by an experienced instructor. 

Today, Eilers manages most aspects of the program, handling the day-to-day business, visiting the site three to four times a week, checking with instructors and staying on top of things as they move forward. 

The current project is in full-swing, Eilers said recently, noting that the home is framed. And trusses were being delivered that week and should be set in the next seven to ten days. 

“Then we'll get on the roof, get warmed up in time for the winter, so the students don't have to be frozen outside,” he said. “We are a little ahead of schedule. We started about a week behind because of the weather, but we have more than caught up. We have a great group of kids this year.” 

While the program has fluctuated over the years, with different school districts involved, its purpose has never wavered: to provide high school students the opportunity to receive hands-on experience in a variety of trades, while constructing a home in their community. 

“This is a fabulous program and our association’s relationship with the Davenport School system and its superintendent, TJ Schneckloth, is a testament to what REALTORS® bring to their communities,” Sharon Smith, the QCAR CEO, said. 

The project begins at the beginning of the school year with each student sitting through OSHA training, receiving their OSHA card before stepping foot on the job site. 

From framing and roofing to setting cabinets and installing floors, students participate in nearly every aspect of home construction. Local professionals handle certain licensed tasks like electrical and plumbing work, but the students gain valuable exposure to these trades by watching and asking questions. 

“It's a learning experience,” Yocum said. “These kids enjoy it. In the afternoon session, those kids have been known to stay longer to finish projects or just stick to get things done if they are getting down to the end of things. These kids take it seriously.” 

By the end of the school year, the students are putting finishing touches on the home, often with the help of other REALTORS® like Eilers and Yocum. 

The year culminates with an open house celebration, where students invite their families to see the work they’ve done throughout the year. Eilers and other REALTORS® involved in the program go on to co-list the home. The majority of proceeds then go back to the program to fund the project for the following year. 

Beyond technical skills, the program instills teamwork, responsibility, and a sense of accomplishment. Many students have gone on to careers in construction, architecture, and home renovation, while others simply carry forward the confidence that comes with completing such a significant project.

Eilers, who works with a lot of new construction properties as a REALTOR®, recalls several times running into former students on the job site. 

“I'll be out, and I'll see electricians come in, and be like ‘Oh weren't you in my class?’” he said. “‘Yes, I got hired by so and so after graduation, felt like I had a leg up.’ Most kids when we have them in class are teenagers, so they don't like to talk to adults too much. This electrician, specifically, running into him any number of times, they are just happy they were able to get a jump-start on everyone else.”

That’s been a cornerstone of the program from the beginning: a commitment to supporting students beyond the job site. 

Each participant receives a tool belt and hand tools valued at around $300 that they get to keep after the project is finished. 

Additionally, scholarship funds ranging from $5,000 to $15,000 are awarded annually to students pursuing vocational training or higher education. Whether continuing in the trades or exploring other career paths, students leave the program with not only practical skills but also resources to support their future endeavors.

While the program provides tangible, real-world experience for students, it also leaves a lasting impression for the REALTORS® involved. 

“When they stand in front of a completed home and say, ‘I built that,’ you can see the pride on their faces. That’s what kept me coming back year after year,” Yocum said.