Should high schoolers have after school jobs?

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Many students at Jenison High School have after-school jobs. Is this something more students should be taking advantage of before they get into the real world?
 
There can be many benefits of getting a job while still in high school. Jenison students talk about all the things they love about working. They also mention how it gives them an idea of the reality of what a post-high school life could be like.

 LIFE OUTSIDE OF HIGH SCHOOL

Jobs can give students a sense of independence in their life. It gives students confidence in their choices for themselves and their future. They have to be able to handle situations on their own without an adult being with them the whole time.

“Jobs provide a sense of balance in students’ lives and helps them see what life is going to be like in the future.”

— Joey Schavey

Joey Schavey, a senior at Jenison high school says that “jobs provide a sense of balance in students’ lives and helps them see what life is going to be like in the future.”
Having a job helps students grow and have a responsibility that is only theirs to handle. They can help students see how to balance a social life with a work-life.

 JOBS YOU ENJOY

Many students tend to find jobs that they will enjoy outside of school. It gives them an opportunity to get their mind off of school. It can help them divide their time well with homework and going to work. JHS helps enforce this balance by only allowing students to work when they have a certain GPA. If they are below this GPA they won’t work since school does still come first.
 
Audrey Devries, another Jenison senior said, “I like working after school because it gives me something to do when I otherwise wouldn’t be doing anything.”
 
A lot of high schoolers may have little savings their parents started when they were young or a piggy bank with all their birthday money stashed away but they don’t have enough money for themselves when they leave the house or go off to college.
 
“Working while in high school allows me to save up for my future and I still get extra money that I can use when I go out with my friends,” Joey said when talking about some benefits of working. Jobs can help you be responsible for your own money.

NEW ENVIRONMENTS

Your job is a whole different environment from school which means you are meeting all new people. It can be nice to have some work friends outside of school.
 
Audrey said, “I love everyone I work with and it’s so fun to meet people I would never know from school.”
 
Of course, not all students are able to get jobs because of sports and extracurriculars or they don’t want to. But for the students who contemplate getting a job, many would suggest it even for a few hours a week to get some money.
The working students at JHS believe that it is very beneficial to them and their future. They see many benefits to after-school jobs plus it can never hurt to have a little extra spending money.