To some, school seems like a job already. We have homework, tests, and have to show up early to participate everyday. However, during your high school experience, you mature and become more independent—you learn how to drive, you go out with friends, you have to pay for the things you want—and money becomes a big part of your life. In order to earn money, many Harriton students look to find part time jobs. Not only can you earn money, but you might find a job that you genuinely enjoy! The Harriton Banner scoped out students with the best part time jobs to give you an inside scoop on what working as a high school student is really like.

Senior Jeff Solomon gives tennis lessons to children ages 3 to 9 at the Chirico Cohen Tennis Academy. In addition to teaching kids, Jeff occasionally works the front desk, helping out clients. He has been working since mid-September on Friday nights and Saturday mornings at the academy located in the Green Valley Country Club.

Harriton Banner: How did you get your job?

Jeff Solomon: The story of how I got the job is actually pretty long, but the short version is that I was invited by a peer to play a doubles match which happened to be against my current employer, and another man. It became a regular Saturday morning thing, and eventually I was offered a job.

HB: Why do you like your job?

JS: I happen to like my job only because it’s doing the thing I love to do, play tennis. It’s sometimes challenging to come up with new games, as the attention span of some of the kids is very short, but it is always worth it when I see they are having fun.

HB: Is managing school, extracurricular activities, and work challenging?

JS: Managing schoolwork is not that hard considering in a usual week I only work on Fridays and Saturdays. Even during the few weeks where I had to work the front desk on school nights, my schoolwork was more than manageable, if not easier to accomplish. Working the front desk means occasionally helping to pick up balls and collecting money from some of the clients, but other than that most of the time I am there is free time to do work.

Not only is getting paid a reward for working, Jeff genuinely enjoys his job teaching children the game he loves. He can manage his schoolwork and extracurriculars despite his working hours, and will hopefully continue to enjoy his job throughout his senior year.

Working as a page in the Bala Cynwyd Library, junior Margot Nelson helps to sort, organize, and put away books after they are returned on Mondays and Thursdays from after school until around 9. Margot has been working since February of last year, getting her job from an application she found at the library.

Harriton Banner: What do you like about your job?

Margot Nelson: I like being around books because I like reading, and I also really like the librarians I work with. We talk about Orlando Bloom and Modern Family; it’s fun.

HB: What is something about your job that you think people would be surprised by?

MG: Most people don’t think my job actually takes much brainpower and while it is very easy to zone out, I actually do have to make sure that all the books and DVDs are in the right numerical and alphabetical order. Otherwise it’s very easy for books to get lost and for patrons to have trouble finding what they need. It’s also more physical than I expected because I have to carry books around and sometimes rearrange entire shelves.

HB: What is the hardest part about your job?

MG: The hardest part of having a job is time management, because I stay at school until 4:30 most days, then go to work either at 6 or 7 until 9 on Mondays and Thursdays so I have to make sure that I don’t leave too much homework for the last minute on those days. I do a lot of work during my frees and I work ahead on days where I don’t have to go to the library.

Hard work is of the essence for Margot, managing school, extracurriculars, and her job. However, she fits it all into her busy schedule and really enjoys it!

Although many part time jobs are year round, Maddy Fisher, a sophomore at Harriton, works during the summer at Friends’ Central Lower School Camp as a counselor. She has worked three summers so far, each a seven-week session, and spends her days hanging out with kids, hoping to make their summers a great experience.

Harriton Banner: What do you like about your job?

Maddy Fisher: I love working with kids and seeing them explore and have a great time during the day. I also like the community I work in and how everyone is so supportive of the kids and also the counselors. With all of the fun activities planned for the campers, I enjoy helping and also participating with them in their activities.

HB: What age of kids do you work with and if you had a choice what age group would you choose to work with?

MF: I normally work with six years olds, but one year I got to work with the three years olds, which was a lot of fun. Even though the three years old are cute, they were a lot of work, like changing, playing, and helping them with art and swimming. With the six year olds, they are old enough to do all the basic things that older kids do, so I normally just supervise.

HB: How do you like spending the summer working in comparison to hanging out at home?

MF: I like working at the summer camp instead of staying at home, because it gives me a reason to get out of bed, and also I get paid to play with little children. It’s also fun because a lot of my friends work there too so we all have a blast together. On the down side, it’s still working and by the end of the day, I am exhausted. It would be more enjoyable if it was for 5 weeks, not 7 weeks.

While some students are spending their summers at camp, at the shore, or hanging out at home, Maddy, as well as many other high school students, are working to make the summers of others one to remember. Maddy loves playing with kids and getting to know them, and she loves being able to make her kid’s smile!

At Harriton, many students participate in part time jobs on top of school and extracurricular activities, but getting paid and finding a job that you really love is worth putting in the time! From camp counseling to life guarding to helping out at your dad’s office, there are so many jobs available for high school students, and they can be a great experience, not to mention they look great on a college application!

If you want to look into getting a part time job, reach out to your parents, relatives, or friends that have connections and start looking for a job that you’ll love!