Maintaining a job in high school is a crucial part of growing up. NHS students show a sense of responsibility by starting their work career at a young age.
From working at the movies to working at the YMCA, these students balance school and work exceptionally well. Although it is not easy, some benefits can come with the hard work. Junior Natalie Owen said that she gets all different forms of benefits.
“I get a free Y membership, plus I can pay half the price to have somebody else on it. They are also pretty flexible with their hours, they hire plenty of high school students to know what a high schooler’s schedule kinda looks like,” Owen said. “So they know when sports games and stuff like that are. It’s great to have a boss that knows most of the time why you can’t work and is okay with that.”
When working with students, most businesses have flexible hours because they understand that students have busy schedules. Junior Ashley McMullin said that she appreciates the flexibility she gets from her job so she still has time for all her other activities.
“They understand that we have school and school activities. They are very allowing to let us miss work to do it if we need to and it is a good job,” McMullin said.
Some students try to get employed just for the money and others truly have a passion for it. Other students decide what they are doing in high school is what they want to do for the rest of their lives. So on occasion, they turn it into their career and enjoy it every day into their adult life.
“Yes, I would [like to continue this job after high school.] They are pretty flexible and if you enjoy working with kids and you think that’s what one of your strengths is,” Owen said. “I highly recommend this job because it is different from babysitting a family member’s kids. You’re dealing with anywhere from 1 to 20-something kids for four hours, which teaches you how to deal with all sorts of situations.”
Although high school jobs are perfect for teenagers, sometimes they don’t pay enough to make a living for a family. Most of the time these placements are just for some extra cash to get through the teenage years.
“[I plan to work] not too long after high school because they probably don’t pay enough for me to live and pay bills,” junior Gwen Hawkins said.
Finding the right job to fit a person’s schedule can be challenging but not impossible. These days there are many ways to discover different businesses that are currently hiring. Typically, advertisements can be found on social media, businesses, or verbally heard from others. McMullin said that she had family connections before deciding to work at her current job.
“My sisters all work there and it was a good job for them. It was a good job for me and they are really flexible with schedules,” McMullin said.
In the end high school jobs are just supposed to give students a starting point. They give them experience in the workforce before they make their final decision on their career.
“I work there because it’s fun and I needed a job for money,” Hawkins said.