There is something quite extraordinary happening at Hay War Memorial High School. In the school grounds, a tiny home is taking shape.

It is being built not by tradies, not by developers, but by local kids with tools in their hands, pride in their work, and a future full of possibility.

The project officially kicked into gear when teacher Graeme Smyth made the trip to Melbourne to collect the frame, with six-metre roof panels and a full suite of building materials now on site.

What began as a seed of an idea, sparked through Cody Friedlin from the RE education industry program, has grown into one of the most exciting and genuinely meaningful initiatives the school has ever undertaken.

The goal is straightforward but powerful; to give Hay’s young people real, hands-on construction experience.

Not textbook theory. Not worksheets. Actually building something, something real, something useful, something they can point to and say, “I made that”.

Currently delivered through Year 9 and 10 industrial technology classes under the guidance of teacher Miss Fisher, the program already has students completing their white card training, the same certification required on any professional building site in Australia.

The vision extends well beyond a single build. Once the home is complete, it will be auctioned, with proceeds reinvested directly into funding the next one.

And the one after that. The dream, shared by staff and the broader community alike, is that one day a young person in Hay who needs a home could simply buy one built right here, by local students, at the local high school.

It is an idea that resonates deeply in a region that knows the pressures of the housing crisis all too well.

Hay Shire Council has taken notice, with the council on board and actively working to develop a tiny homes strategy for the area.

The school’s project and council’s vision are a natural fit, both working towards the same goal of creating a more liveable, sustainable Hay for everyone.

Local tradespeople and electricians are also set to play a role, coming onto the site to work alongside students, share their knowledge, and show young people first-hand what a career in the trades looks like.

For students who may never have considered a tradesperson’s path, that kind of connection, a real person, a real job, a real conversation, can be life-changing.

The longer-term plan is to bring the program into HSC Construction in Years 11 and 12, creating a genuine, structured pathway from the classroom to the workforce.

In a region that depends on skilled local workers, the ability to train those workers at home, and give them a reason to stay, is no small thing.

A handful of other schools around the country have tried similar projects.

One near Lismore is now onto its second build.

Hay War Memorial High School has been learning from those experiences, quietly determined to do this well, and to keep going. Because that is the real heart of this project. Not just the timber and the nails.

Not just the tiny home that will one day sit finished and ready for a new owner.

It is the confidence a student gains when they realise they can build something from scratch.

The pride of a community watching its young people do something remarkable.

The hope that Hay’s future is being built, quite literally, right now.

Watch this space for more updates.

This article appeared in The Riverine Grazier, 11 March 2026.