The Integrated Learning House is a fully functional residential-style learning environment designed to help students with special needs develop practical life skills in a safe, supportive setting.
Within the home, students gain hands-on experience with everyday activities such as cooking, cleaning, budgeting, organization, and home maintenance. These experiences help prepare them for greater independence after graduation while building confidence in their abilities.
What makes the ILH especially impactful is that it creates opportunities for students to learn by doing. Instead of simply discussing life skills in a classroom, students practice them in an environment that mirrors real-world living.
Students from the Ray-Pec LEAD Center’s carpentry, electrical, HVAC, art, design, botany, and field biology programs helped bring the project to life. Throughout the process, they worked alongside educators, skilled trades professionals, local businesses, and community supporters.
Many organizations donated materials, labor, expertise, and financial support to make the project possible. The result is a learning environment that not only serves students today but will continue creating opportunities for years to come.
The project also creates meaningful connections between students of different backgrounds and abilities. Special education students, peer mentors, and Scholar Teacher participants all share the space, creating opportunities for collaboration, leadership, and personal growth.
The Building Excellence Awards recognize outstanding construction projects throughout the region, but the Community Impact Award focuses on something different: how a project positively affects people.
The Integrated Learning House embodies that mission.
It supports workforce development by exposing students to skilled trades. It promotes inclusion by creating shared learning experiences. Most importantly, it provides students with the tools and confidence needed to pursue greater independence in their daily lives.
While the project did not take home the top award this year, being named a finalist among so many outstanding initiatives is a testament to the vision, dedication, and partnership that made the ILH possible.
Control Service Company was proud to invite members of the Raymore-Peculiar School District who championed the project to attend the Building Excellence Awards ceremony. Their leadership, passion, and commitment to student success are the driving force behind the Integrated Learning House.
Projects like the ILH remind us that the most meaningful investments are often the ones made in people.
By bringing together educators, students, businesses, and community partners, the Integrated Learning House demonstrates what can happen when everyone works toward a common goal: creating opportunities that change lives.
We congratulate everyone involved in this remarkable project and look forward to seeing its continued impact on future generations of Ray-Pec students.
