AHS Partners with Habitat for Humanity

Alliance High School recently partnered with the Alliance Area Habitat for Humanity (AAHFH) to create a chapter at Alliance. Currently, AHS is the only high school chapter in Ohio.

Normally, Habitat partners with colleges, but through the efforts of numerous people in the district and AAHFH Executive Director Niki McIlvain, the chapter came to fruition at the beginning of the school year. Led by advisor Brian Swank, the chapter consists of students from three career tech programs- construction trades, interactive media and media arts. The AHS organization will assist with the marketing material, coverage of Habitat events and constructing sheds that will be donated to the families who receive the houses. 

Swank believes this is a great opportunity for the students at AHS to get involved in the community and learn what it means to be a caring citizen and to give back to the city they have grown up in. The students will also be learning valuable hands-on experience in their respective fields whether that be construction, marketing or design.

“We’re getting the educational abilities and global skills, the global competency of the people skills, the community service.” Swank said about the benefits of having a chapter at AHS. “They will be interacting with the community and networking. There’s so many upsides for us.”

Each year, one construction trade student will be the president of the AHS chapter. Senior Brandon Maistros was selected as the first president. He is excited to be a part of an organization he has always been passionate about.

“I have a lot of history with Habitat,” Maistros said. “When I saw Habitat was doing work with students, I just kind of jumped on it.”

Swank is excited to see how this program will go over the next few years.

“I’ve got a passion for building and a passion for this project,” Swank said.