It’s that time of year again, that hot, dry-spell, school-free, period of two months known as summer vacation.
While many students may take this time to go on a well deserved vacation, visit family, or relax at home, others have much different ideas.
Some may decide to take an online course over the summer to get ahead, or just to check another course off their list.
Others may decide to get a job over the summer.
Summer jobs are a great way to get some experience, get involved with the community, and of course, make some money.
There are a variety of local jobs available to Cal High students in San Ramon and the surrounding area.
This summer, freshman Lucas Pao is going to be a lifeguard at the San Ramon Olympic Pool & Aquatic Center.
Pao will be working about 25 hours per week as a lifeguard, even though he noted that the number of hours he has to be at work will be flexible.
“I think it will be a good opportunity,” Pao said. “I think it will help my leadership skills and make me more independent and responsible.”
There are many different motives for a student to get a job.
Some may get a job based on their interest and hobbies, while others become employed for the experience and, of course, the money.
“I’m a swimmer, and I need to get a job,” Pao said.
To apply for a job as a lifeguard, Pao said he had to attend a course to get a license for the position, as well as going through an interview.
In California, students are required to get a work permit from their high school in order to get a job, including short term jobs like summer jobs.
The work permit forms can be found in the counseling office and online.
Once students, their parents, and employers have completed the permit, it is brought back to the school office where the application is reviewed and a work permit is created if approved.
“By law, the employer needs to have you have a work permit,” counselor Becky Bellini said. “It’s to protect [students] and their working rights.”
Freshman Sofia Kling is one of those students who got a work permit for her job.
This summer, Kling will be working as a party host at Dublin Iceland, an area ice rink. She will be working about three hours a day, but the hours are flexible because the work is scheduled when needed.
Kling is a figure skater, which is what initially made her apply for the job.
She had already volunteered and coached at Dublin Iceland multiple times, so she said the supervisors already knew her and didn’t require further training and interviews other than her work permit.
“I naturally go ice skating, so being at the rink makes me happy,” Kling said.
Kling said she believes the job will teach her a lot of new skills and provide new opportunities for her.
“It’s really good [for] people skills,” Kling said. “You’re talking to adults about issues, you’re teaching the kids, and you just get to adapt and learn a lot of new things.”
Another student who will be working over the summer is sophomore Aubrey Fash.
She will be working as a camp counselor for an art camp in the city of Santa Rosa.
Fash will be working everyday for a few hours each morning. She said she was a volunteer at the camp last year, and will be returning this year as a paid member of the staff.
“I really like helping kids, and I like doing creative stuff, like art, so it’s fun to get to help little kids with activities and hang out,” Fash said.
Fash said she is excited to work at the camp during the summer because it’s a great learning experience and something that she has been looking forward to.
“I think it definitely teaches you some good leadership skills about how to work with kids and to encourage and make it fun for them, and also teach them respect and kindness as well as how to work with others,” Fash said.
While a lot of students choose to get a job over the summer, there are some who have no interest in becoming employed, considering it a waste of their break time by working instead of relaxing.
But it can be a very valuable experience, and something that could even be fun if students are doing what interests them.
As a counselor who has been working her whole life, Bellini said that all of the different jobs she had in the past helped her to learn to think on her feet, develop new skills, and much more.
“I’ve worked since I was 15, never not had a job since then,” Bellini said. “It’s good to get out and meet people you wouldn’t have met otherwise and learn something new outside of the classroom.”
Pao, Fash and Kling all will be working jobs that interest them, whether it’s something they’re good at or excited to try, or even just a hobby or passion they’ve had for many years.
all will be working jobs that interest them, whether it’s something they’re good at or excited to try, or even just a hobby or passion they’ve had for many years.
