MEXICO – The 11th house constructed by Region 9 School of Applied Technology students was recognized Thursday morning at the Poplar Road Hill site by dozens of students, parents and staff.

“It’s rewarding to see what we’ve done this year,” said Briant Hunt, a building program senior from Dirigo High School in Dixfield who plans to attend the Penobscot Job Corps Center in Bangor in the fall.

“It really feels like you’ve accomplished something,” added Anthony Vitale, a senior at Mountain Valley High School in Rumford.

Each of the 12 young men received certificates of accomplishment from Community Concepts interim director Michael Burke, the social service agency that partnered with the local vocational school. Community Concepts provided the one-acre lot, materials and oversight by Mark Grondin, the agency’s construction coordinator. He also oversees similar vocational projects at Foster Vocational in Farmington and Region 11 in Norway-Paris.

Lloyd Williams, building construction teacher at Region 9, said previous classes have built homes in Bethel, Rumford and Peru.

“This gives kids a great opportunity to put a home together,” he said.

Vitale, who plans to attend Northern Maine Community College in Presque Isle, said the project will give him a great answer to anyone who asks him what he did in high school.

“I can tell them I built a home,” he said.

Telstar High School vocational student Devin Hughes, who also plans to attend Northern Maine Community College, was also proud of the house.

“I can build my own or know how to build parts of a house,” the Bethel student said.

Region 9 director Brenda Gammon said the end of the school year is her favorite time as leader of the school.

“I love to see what the students have done. I’m proud of them. They need to know that everyone is proud of them. They call this a house, but it will become a home,” she said.

Community Concepts will soon put the three-bedroom, energy-efficient home on the market.