Twin Rivers Building Trades class building home in Linton

Building Trades students Ryan Figg, left, and Isaac Jobe work together at a task.

By Patti Danner

Students in Instructor Jim Morrison’s Building Trades class in Linton are hard at work on their latest project, a 2,016 square-foot home being built on 250 North in Linton.

The new construction has been built from the ground up by Morrison and his two classes, morning and afternoon, at Linton-Stockton High School, with help from Tim Hudson and Jeremy Decker of Byers Heating and Cooling of Bloomfield. Morrison’s class includes students from Linton, Bloomfield, White River Valley and Sullivan schools.

The home is being built for Beth and Cory Corbin of Linton, and Beth Corbin said both she and her husband are very pleased with all aspects of the build.

“We had people talking about some of the houses the class had recently built, and we were intrigued,” Corbin said. “We had seen one being built as well. We bought the property some years ago and had held onto it, not sure exactly what to do with it. When we decided to build a house on the property, we called Jim up right away.”

Cory Corbin graduated from Linton-Stockton High School in the mid-90s, and took the building trades classes himself.

“Before we sold our last house, we made several improvements ourselves. It was great because, with his background in the building trades class, we were able to do most of that work ourselves,” Corbin said.

The Corbins joined a waiting list, perfectly content to wait their turn at having a home constructed by Morrison and his students.

“We had no clue what we wanted,” Corbin said. “Jim invited us to a couple of open houses on completed projects, and we were able to get lots of ideas.”

Once the couple had a good idea of what kind of home they wanted, plans were drawn up and Corbin himself did the excavating work on the vacant lot they owned.

“We are so excited,” Beth Corbin said. “We’re out there every day, seeing what these students have accomplished, and it is phenomenal.”

Corbin said she and her husband feel like this is their way of giving back to the community they call home, and by having the building trades class construct their home, they are also giving back to the program Corbin learned so much from during his high school years.

“This is just a great group of kids,” she said. “It really warms my heart to see them out there working, knowing that they are building something we will enjoy for years.”

The Corbins expect to move in to their new home sometime after May, and are excited to do so.

Dusty Robison is a senior at Linton-Stockton, in his second year with the building trades class, and is a foreman with the project at 250 North. His father, Charles Robison, is a carpenter by trade and the younger Robison says he always knew he would adopt the trade one day.

“My dad taught me a lot, and I’ve always found construction interesting and fun,” Robison said. “My great-uncle, Shawn Russell, is also a carpenter and I’ve done work for family members for years. My uncle even took this same class when he was in school.”

By Patti Danner Senior Dusty Robison hard at work.

Robison said he absolutely loves the work, and plans to join the Carpenters’ Union upon graduation.

“My favorite thing to do is framing,” he said. “That’s what I started with. I also like masonry and roofing. I would love to build my own house one day. In my family, the work ethic is strong. I was raised to respect my elders and to work hard and I would really like to make a name for myself in carpentry with my own business one day.”

Another senior in his second year with the class, Isaac Jobe also grew up around the construction profession, as his grandfather Kermit King and uncle Steve King were active in the field.

“I love it,” Jobe said. “This is so much better than sitting in a class room all day. I love framing, but pouring foundations is the worst.”

Senior Ryan Figg is in his first year with building trades, and calls Instructor Morrison “All-knowing, he’s great. He knows so many ways to get the job done quickly without cutting corners. I want to join the Carpenters’ Union when I graduate and build houses, I love seeing the finished product, it’s such a good feeling,” he said.

The class builds one home per year, and does several community projects as well.

Morrison’s a.m. class includes Chris Boldrey, Karter Cox, Austin Dayhoff, Beau Driscol, Chase Howard, Alex Jarrell, Dreydon Jerrell, Gavin Leigh, Wyatt McCammon, Alec Mossberger, Braxton Robinson, Dakota Sparks, Jacob Tally, Dreyden Ward, Dane Witty and Wyatt Yake.

The p.m., or afternoon class, includes Brayden Allen, Cory Anderson, Jeffery-Travix Coffey, Keaton Cox, Kaleb Crane, Ryan Figg, Jakob Goodwin, Trevor Hill, Chance Howard, Levi Jerrels, Isaac Jobe, Kole Padgett, Cameron Parola, Luke Ramsey, Dusty Robison, Jarrett, Rose and Tythan Turpin.

For more information about Twin Rivers Building Trades, contact Morrison at 812-798-5548 or via email at jimandgaye@yahoo.com