Many students keep jobs during the school year. Many do so to prepare for their future, to keep themselves busy, because parents insist. While some students enjoy keeping a job during the year, others find it to be added, unwanted stress.
Part time jobs around the area are filled with high school students trying to save money. Places like fast food restaurants, grocery stores, and car washes hire students and work around their school schedules.
Food Lion taken by Savannah Bollhorst
Ayden Bogle (Sr.), who works at Food Lion, said, “Working takes a toll on my mental health when I also have school. It just adds a lot of stress.” Bogle said, “Working definitely causes stress to students.”
“I feel like I need to work less during school because it will allow more time for me to focus on my education,” Bogle continued. Bogle was also on the varsity football team earlier in the year. During that time, he had to quit working to balance school and practices.
Ayden Bogle taken by Peggy Hartley
Many other students who participate on sports teams do not have the time to work, go to practice, and keep a job. While the end of the school year may seem a preferable time to secure employment, many students have AP exams and SOL testing. Students must study and get a good night’s sleep before they take the multi-hour tests. Having to work long hours beforehand and being focused on other things can affect the students’ test-taking abilities.
A variety of York High students manage to work year-round, though. Ellie Reilly (Jr.) works at Old Navy in Williamsburg while maintaining a GPA that qualified her to be a junior marshall. She said, “A challenge of working while also being in school comes from scheduling. Working from after school until late evening makes it difficult to be productive or to do schoolwork.” Reilly is in the International Baccalaureate program.
Lily Persson (Jr.) has a summer job lifeguarding. She works mostly at the Edgehill Pool, which is closed during most of the school year. She said, “School and sports take up a lot of time during the year, so I try to work only during the summer.”
Some do manage to work during the entirety of the year and have employers who can be flexible with scheduling. “Especially for after school events, I have to switch my work schedule. Band is important to me, and I try to be there. Homework is also important, and can be tiring after working and going to school that day, so I try to work on weekends,” said Andrew Victoria (Sr.). Victoria works at a local restaurant.
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