No, that's not a trick image: There's a 1,500 square foot home, inside of McKinley High School. 

"We started this program about 12 years ago and at that time we were building house and taking it apart every year," said Kathy Heinle, the school's director of Career & Technical Education. 

While hammering and sheet rocking proved to teach students a thing or two, the program’s leaders wanted more. So did the community.

The Western New York Construction Exchange bought the equipment needed for hands-on experience.

Then Habitat for Humanity asked for the houses.

 But it's not district leaders or teachers building them. 

"Over the summer we worked a lot, it was really fun," said Gaven Prial, a senior at McKinley. 

Gaven is one of the students who built this two bathroom, four bedroom home from the ground up. His specialty through the Career & Technical Education Program is HVAC. But, since 9th grade, he's learned so much more. 

"Patience is a virtue," he smiled. "You work with a lot of people in this field. You work with a lot of different industries. You have to be patient, you have to be kind. You just have to be a good person." 

Learning the value of teamwork gave Gaven and his classmate Taquan Cornwall an idea to start up their own business.

When they graduate from McKinley next year, they'll have 18 credits in their tool belts toward programs at Alfred State. Before starting their business, the pair will finish out their associate degrees there, paid for by the school district through grant money. 

"There are some barriers that our students see and we take those away," said Robert Harris, supervisor of Career & Technical Education. "I believe everyone can be successful." 

The McKinley Building Project isn't the only program offering students pathways to successful futures.

There's also a horticulture department, aquatic ecological department, print media, HVAC, plumbing and carpentry.

New this year is Urban Teaching, where students get degrees from Buffalo State and then come back and teach within the Buffalo Public School District. 

Students will put their finishing touches on this home by spring. By March, it will be rolled out to a Buffalo family. Then construction will begin on the next home, lucky number 13.