01/09/2025
Students from Orange Coast College DHH Adult Transition Program learn skills at Cargo2Casa.
By Nate Martinez Orange County Department of Education
It was hot outside — in the mid-80s — yet five students from the Connections at Orange Coast College DHH Adult Transition Program looked eager to get to work, converting a cargo container into a tiny home for a low-income family.
The mission of OECD's ATP is to equip students who are deaf or hard of hearing with the tools and skills to build independent, successful lives. Through a partnership with Cargo2Casa — a nonprofit founded by Jim Forde dedicated to providing affordable housing for those in need — students are gaining valuable hands-on construction experience while giving back to their community.
Over the course of three weeks, working three days a week, Forde introduced the students to electrical work, plumbing, insulation, and a variety of power tools, guiding them as they built the framework for a two-bedroom tiny home.
“Quite frankly, the opportunity just seemed too good to be true,” said Felicia Miller, the DHH ATP teacher who connected her class with Cargo2Casa and Jim Forde. “They [her students] were very excited about the prospect of actually being out learning on the job instead of spending the summer in the classroom.”
Isai's favorite part of the job is using the power saw. As soon as he arrived at the work site, he went straight to work — measuring and cutting frames with his favorite tool.
Their enthusiasm and natural talent for the work were immediately evident. After just the first week, the students were able to pick up right where they left off, continuing their tasks from the previous workday with minimal instruction. As visual learners, they quickly absorbed and retained the various skills and just as quickly fell in love with the work.
