LANSING, Mich. - Students in Lansing Community College's Alternative Energy Program are painting the town green with a hands-on lesson in one eastside neighborhood. As part of the school's "Restoration Works" program, they are renovating and retrofitting two foreclosed houses with cutting-edge, energy-efficient appliances and upgrades.



Sean Huberty, who heads LCC's Alternative Energy faculty, says these houses, which had been slated for demolition, have now become valuable resources.



"Students need this kind of experience and in most cases it's going to be much worse than anything they'd see when they get out into the field and actually are working a real job. And it also has the benefit of strengthening the community."



The "Restoration Works" program is made possible by a mini-grant funded in part by the National Wildlife Federation, one of just 25 awarded nationwide.



According to Huberty students coming out of the program are in high demand with employers for their skills and experience, and claims that a "green spirit" is taking root in the community.



"Typically, people that can afford expensive upgrades to houses don't live in economically-distressed environments. So, this is a really positive thing for a lot of people."



Huberty says he hopes the program will continue to expand to other projects, including commercial spaces, and that it will become a permanent part of the LCC curriculum.