Teens Take On Summer Jobs

Even though we’re still in the lazy days of summer, and yes, they can be lazy for many of us, I insist that during high school my kids hold some type of summer job. I agree that summer is a time to unwind and relax, but it’s also time to learn about the work force, earning money, hard work, good and bad bosses, and the basic responsibilities of what a job entails. 

My daughter has a great summer job. She is a nanny for a 9-year-old girl. As opposed to her last summer job as a camp counselor, this has been harder yet way more flexible than she expected. It’s a perfect example of understanding the work force and how each job has pros and cons attached.

Being a camp counselor is still a great and much sought after summer job. Jordan Smason of Buffalo Grove is spending her second summer at Banner Day Camp as a gymnastics counselor. Working with kids is an ideal job for Jordan as she intends to study education in college.

Some kids work all year round and because of that have expertly learned to manage their time between school, free time and work. Pam Lazakis of Long Grove does just that as she works at Sedgebrook Retirement Community in Lincolnshire. As a waitress there, she has met tons of kids from other high schools as well as more kids from . Working at Sedgebrook is unique in that they offer a scholarship incentive to kids who continue working there year round. If you complete 500 hours of work time by senior year, you could potentially win a scholarship that is made up from collective tips. Last year it was valued at $750. Not a bad bonus! Students write an essay and the winner is awarded the scholarship. 

For many kids, the summer is the perfect time to find an internship in which they can learn about a business or industry in which they may want to pursue as a career. For Buffalo Grove resident and Stevenson senior Alec Novoselsky, this was exactly his case.

He says, “I am fascinated by digital media and can see myself working in the film industry in the future. Working as an intern gives me an inside look to being a full time employee. I wanted to see what it would be like to work with a film company like Xpress Video Productions."

“I am grateful to have the opportunity to see and learn how to put a film together from beginning to end. I have assisted the film crew on video shoots and it is very exciting to go out on location. My favorite part of the process is seeing the breakdown of the footage as it gets edited into an exciting work of art.”

Last year, Alec participated in the Film Fest at Stevenson High School. This was his first attempt at a short film and he received much positive feedback. Having this internship will give him stronger tools and better insight for another submission to the Film Fest next year.

Good to know our kids are working and gaining all kinds of experiences that will help them on their way to adulthood. As always, email me with any news, topics or ideas that you want to read about. Remember, I’d like to be the first to know! I can be reached at laurenbgpatch@aol.com.