Operation Hero’s Hill is a project created by Mayor Glenn Jacobs to take initiative and create a community for homeless veterans in Knox County. While other cities have taken initiative to build communities for veterans, the approach of including schools in the area is unique and original. Starting in August, seven Knox County Schools Career and Technical Education programs began working to build 20 tiny homes and a community center to give veterans a safe and stable place to live. 

These schools include Fulton High School, Farragut High School, West High School, South Doyle High School, Gibbs High School, Halls High School, and Karns High School (with assistance from students from Hardin Valley Academy and Powell High School). START Center trainees are also assisting in completing the homes. Alanna McKissak, Community Relations Manager for Knox County, goes deeper into the operation. 

“Operation Hero’s Hill is a community collaboration,” McKissak said, “The project is spearheaded by Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs along with the Grants and Community Development Department. … The Associated General Contractors of Tennessee are providing mentorship and guidance on the building of the homes.”

Students start with a blank trailer and work until the home is completely built. Businesses, teachers, and peers alike get to collaborate side by side with students at the high schools, giving them opportunities to interact with people in the trade they wish to go into and gain extra experience and knowledge in their trades. Brian Cox, Construction Teacher at Karns, explains how it affects students at Karns. 

“For some of them, it’s literally just a credit and it’s a job they’re doing, but some of these other guys and girls have really bought into the fact that this is an opportunity to really give back to those that have given for our freedoms to be able to have these programs and do this stuff,” Cox said, “It’s kinda hit home and they’re literally changing somebody’s life by their actions and what they’re doing.”

These students’ work strongly affects veterans in the Knox County area. The need for more, affordable, housing for veterans is urgent. Cox also describes how the homes affect veterans. 

“This is something for them to have that’s gonna give them hope.” Cox said. 

The project team for Operation Hero Hill is half of the way to raising $1,250,000 to cover additional costs for the project. These costs include furnishing each home and the building of a community center. D.R. Horton has managed the donations of all building materials needed for the project.