North Point High School students in Waldorf have turned classroom lessons into a real-world showcase with a Tiny House Waldorf, now open for bids starting Monday, July 28. The 160-square-foot studio-style home, built on an 8-by-20-foot trailer, is the culmination of years of work by students in the school’s construction, design, and management pathway, with contributions from the electrical and welding programs. This hands-on project, blending practical skills and creative design, is now available for purchase, with proceeds funding future student builds.
The Tiny House Waldorf project began in 2020 when Tony Jones, then the construction program instructor, proposed the idea to career and technical education (CTE) staff. He saw it as a way for students to apply skills like blueprint reading, material cost analysis, and project management in a tangible setting. When Jones retired in 2022, instructor Charlie Burch took over, guiding roughly 13 students annually to complete the build. “The students enjoyed working on it because they were able to see the project start on paper and watch it grow as they completed the steps,” Burch said.
The tiny home, measuring 11 feet, 3 inches tall, was constructed using plans from Tiny House Inc. and California Tiny Homes. Pacific West Tiny Homes certified each of the 15 building benchmarks to ensure safety and structural integrity. The compact home features a kitchen with a sink, microwave, refrigerator with freezer, and a two-burner cooktop. The bathroom includes a standing shower, toilet, and sink, while a Murphy-style bed folds into a cabinet for space efficiency. “This is the best way to get the experience of building a real house—minus the foundation since we build off of a metal trailer frame,” Burch said.
For students, the Tiny House Waldorf project mirrors real-world construction tasks. Kevin Reisinger, CTE content specialist, emphasized its value: “This build has brought real-world skills to the classroom where students can demonstrate what they have learned, including how to read build plans or blueprints, material cost analysis, and project management.” Beyond the tiny home, students in the pathway design and construct smaller projects like planter boxes, sawhorses, chicken coops, and sheds, engaging in the full project lifecycle from design to maintenance.
Mistakes are part of the learning process, Burch noted. “The students are able to learn from that and correct them,” he said. The experience has been transformative, with students choosing the home’s colors and style, fostering a sense of ownership. “When they can walk in and turn on the light, use the faucet, and turn on the air conditioner, it makes them feel good about what they are able to accomplish,” Burch added.
The Tiny House Waldorf is available for tours from July 28 through August 8, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., at North Point High School, 2500 Davis Road, Waldorf. To schedule a visit, contact Kevin Reisinger at 301-934-7205 or Carletta Grier at 301-934-7337. Bidding is facilitated through GovDeals and the Charles County Public Schools website.
Proceeds from the sale will support the next Tiny House Waldorf project, set to begin in the new school year, and other construction pathway initiatives. Burch aims to streamline future builds, hoping to cut construction time in half. For Southern Maryland residents, this project highlights the talent and dedication of local students while offering a unique opportunity to own a student-crafted tiny home.
