Bill Niehaus needed to buy a wheelchair ramp for his wife, Louise, when he saw a notice in a community newsletter about Maine West High School students building them for free. Niehaus made one phone call and the next day, a Maine West instructor was at his home, sizing and evaluating the area. Little did he know then that he'd be the first to use the incline. Just weeks before the teens finished, the 78-year-old fell and tore tendons in his knee. "I'm just overjoyed by the whole thing," he said as he sat in his living room, clutching a dark, wooden cane. "I've lived in this house for 47 years, I've worked (in Des Plaines) since 1952 ... and I knew nothing of the program." Since 2006, the Building Trades program at Maine West has built about 20 ramps for the community, said Paul Bartholomae, the teacher in charge of the project. The Des Plaines Community Foundation buys the supplies, like tools and wood, while the students provide the labor during 45-minute class periods. Get the full story here. All photos by Jennifer Delgado.