School is out, and summer vacation begins! For many students, the beginning of summer marks the start of relaxation, but what about those who don’t stop working? At Springfield Township High School, many students use their time during the summer to earn money and gain work experience, which can be obtained through summer jobs and internships.
Summer Jobs
The classic 9-to-5 schedule during June, July, and August is not a new concept, as many parents likely recall their first jobs taking place during their teenage summers.
One of these classic summer jobs is camp counseling. Junior, Quinn Farrell took up camp counseling at Manufacturers Country Club Camp for the first time this past summer, which consisted of “watch[ing] the campers, bring[ing] them to their lessons, [and] just hang[ing] out with them.”
Another student who worked this summer is junior Emmett Lacy, as a dishwasher at a retirement home. His routine at work consisted of “tak[ing] out the floor mats, brush[ing] up the floors, fill[ing] up the sinks,”
Farrell claims that having a summer job “gave [him] realistic job hours, a rhythm, schedule, and most importantly, money.” Lacy adds to this by stating that by “just knowing the skills on how to hold yourself in an interview,” as well as just having “basic working knowledge,” one could be helped immensely when it comes to working and career hunting after high school.
Summer Internships
Summer internships, similar to summer jobs, are a way for high school students to gain work experience and add to their college transcripts.
Senior Stella Miller spent her summer “interning at a recording studio in Philadelphia,” and senior Isaac Darga interned with State Senator Haywood, participating in “advocacy meetings, learning about the state,” and “community service.” Darga had shown an interest in having a summer internship with Haywood since the beginning of junior year, “call[ing] in the fall and winter.”
Miller states that her internship “taught [her] a lot of interesting things,” and has allowed her to “do something [she] is passionate about.”
Miller also acknowledges that as a high school student, “there is a pressure to do something, whether that be a job or internship,” to impress colleges.
Even though the summer can be spent relaxing and having fun, many Springfield students have used this free time as an opportunity to learn.
