An Inside Look at Working in High School

The school’s students travel throughout the week and weekend to their jobs, with many of them being at local businesses.  It’s a difficult process for students to apply for jobs, find time for jobs and get transportation to get there.

Schoolwork, free time and other extracurricular activities make a big difference in whether or not someone can get a job.

Every student at this school has different pressures that affect them as a student and a person. With so much going on in a student’s daily life, it’s difficult not to lose focus.

Many of these issues come up when their employers pressure them to take on longer hours or someone else’s shift.

“They would sometimes ask me to stay past 9:00 P.M., which I would usually just say yes to,” said senior Sarah Kucia, who worked at a grocery store.

With no school responsibilities over the summer, many students choose to wait until the end of the school year to get a job. Some of these students quit their jobs when the new school year starts.

Often students work long shifts during the school week, which can cause stress and lower grades as students struggle to meet all the demands on their time.  

Junior Jacob Ulman said he had difficulty making time for both the cross country team and his job.  

“They didn’t update the schedule consistently, so I had to cancel on late notice for cross country meets,” said Ulman.

It is difficult for many students to decide between fulfilling school-related responsibilities and complying with the requests of their employers.

Many students said they had trouble finding the time to juggle homework and projects while keeping to their work schedule.

“I would leave at 10:45 if I stayed later, 9:45 if I finished earlier. That really messed up my sleep and school schedule,” said Kucia.

Even though it’s a tough decision to give up weekend free time, many students still do it. Thirteen of fourteen students interviewed about their jobs said they give up part of their Saturday, Sunday or both.

By working in high school, students can earn money, but what else are they getting in return for the valuable time and stress put into it?

Some students said they felt their high school jobs have better prepared them for workplaces in their future. Other students said that having a job in high school made them better at simply interacting with others.