Finding the Balance: The Benefits of Part-Time Jobs for Students

by Rocco Colon '26

More than one-third of U.S. teenagers work a part-time job during their high school years. This gives students real-world skills that help them get jobs in the future. It is important for kids to have a job while they go to school.

One reason for them to have a job is because it provides them with money. According to Mrs. Bonfiglio, “Students today spend a lot of excess money on wasteful things such as drinks from Starbucks and Dunkin. They need to work to balance these habits.”

In addition, having a job teaches kids to be responsible. They learn how to manage their time. It is important to balance schoolwork, working and having fun. Mrs. Lauren Bonfiglio, a teacher at Wethersfield High School, said, “When kids have too much time on their hands, they can get into trouble. It is critical for them to learn to balance a job with getting their school work done so when they go off to the real world they will have better skills.”

Although having a job can be nice, you need to find a balance for work and school because both can have their own stresses. That's why for me working on the weekends helps a lot because I focus on school during the week and then work on the weekend. I highly advise figuring out what works for you. Everyone is different. A very helpful person I’ve talked to is Mark Danaher; he is a career counselor and a teacher at Wethersfield High School. I highly recommend taking his internship class. It helped me greatly.

Having a job is important, but it's more important to try and do something that suits you, so definitely look for jobs that interest you. You may not always get the job, but “Every no is an eventual yes,” says Rocco Colon. So keep going and apply everywhere. Learn how to interview and fill out your resume so employers are more likely to hire you.
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I have friends that work at a Fun City trampoline park and they told me it's a great experience. Overall, it's entirely up to you, but making some money while in high school wouldn't hurt, and it would get you out of having to do chores for money or asking mom and dad for money to do something. Having your own money feels good. You earned it and worked for it, so it not only teaches responsibility but it also rewards you. It is important to remember to find a job that works for you and don't let your job run all over you. You are a full-time high school student and you have schoolwork to do, so find that balance!

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