Lifeguard chairs, koi ponds, and gardens. These are just some of the locations where PHS seniors can be found, clocking into shifts and collecting paychecks earned by assisting their community.
Senior Mia Dare holds many jobs, caring for the pets and children of her neighbors as well as occasionally watering plants or gardening among them. Dare said that she began looking for a job by researching opportunities in her community online.
“A good way I found jobs was through Facebook or NextDoor. People post that they’re looking for high school students, and it’s an easy way to connect with people locally,” Dare said. “I find it really fulfilling.”
Senior Nate Eidt said he started working at the Oakland Sharks Ice Rink because he went there for hockey practice anyways.
“I figured that since I’m spending all of my time there anyways, why not get paid?” Eidt said. “I prioritize my academics and just tell my boss if I am busy but otherwise I’m there, coaching and cleaning.”
Other students, such as senior Zoe Waitkus, who currently works as a teaching assistant at Temple Sinai, said that they first became aware of jobs through programs they had previously participated in. Waitkus said that she was contacted by the synagogue after attending Sunday school there when she was younger.
“Every year, they reach out to those in eighth grade and ninth grade who attended the school to see if they’re interested in the role,” Waitkus said.
Though Waitkus was initially motivated by a desire to earn money, she said that she has grown to recognize the real-world experience her work has provided her with as she prepares for the transition to college life.
“I originally got the job because I wanted money, but now I also value the job to set me up for future job experiences, and for colleges now my main goal is to set [myself] up for paying for necessities for college,” Waitkus said.
Dare said the financial freedom her job has provided her with has encouraged her to manage her earnings to balance both short-term purchases and saving for more practical or substantial expenses as well.
“What I do is I divide half of my money into spending and half of it into saving, and a lot of the money I’m saving for is college, [or] emergencies,” Dare said. “I think that’s what motivated me [to get a job]: to be able to be more financially independent, and also just be able to help out my parents a bit more.”
Waitkus said that the community of her coworkers and the continual development of her collaborative abilities throughout her time on the staff have been especially meaningful to her.
“My favorite thing is the community, and I feel like the community rewards me with a bunch of new friends, and it also helps me expand my social skills,” Waitkus said. “For future jobs, I’ll be able to understand how I can talk to and communicate with everybody else at the job.”
Dare shared a similar experience and said that much of the enjoyment that she found in her job came from the interpersonal relationships she has formed with her clients.
“I think something that’s really rewarding is making connections. You have those small, simple conversations, but after a while, you can actually really get to know [people] on a deeper level or just feel comfort[able] with them,” Dare said. “When I walk, sometimes I’ll see the people who I, for example, garden for, and it’s just rewarding to be able to be so friendly and have those small, random connections.”
Although senior and lifeguard Nick Riordan said that he struggled to find a job that is both fulfilling and profitable, he is nevertheless appreciative of how his work contributes to his personal income.
“I think that it is really difficult to find a job, at this age, which is fulfilling and pays well. Being a lifeguard isn’t super rewarding because most of the time, you don’t actually get to save anyone. Regardless, I’m super grateful for the opportunity to earn my own money,” Riordan said.
Several seniors said that the responsibilities that come with employment are particularly valuable to high schoolers, since it allows them to hone many real-world skills while still having a safety net of sorts.
“[Having a job] really helps with time management and also just being responsible with your money, and I think that before going to college, you should really have that experience of making connections, learning how to manage your time with schoolwork, and also having a job,” Dare said. “It’s really great to get that experience, maybe before you really need that money.”
