For most students, summer means vacation, relaxing, and a break from busy schedules and homework. But not for all. For some students, summertime means work time.  

During the summer, many teenagers between the ages of 14 and 18 are on the lookout to make some cash. As a teenager, finding a job can be very important. A job means building up a potential college application, gaining experience for down the road, and a source of money. 

For Maddie Croonborg, junior, she used her summer intern job at Nu-Way Industries as an opportunity to gain experience in accounting which is something that she is interested in.

 “I learned how to improve my communication skills with the many new people that I met and I learned that accounting is very important for a big company,” Croonberg said. 

Finding a job can be a little bit tougher for students who are under 16 because of state law. However, there are several businesses that hire starting at 15 and sometimes even 14. 

15-year-old Ashley Olsen, sophomore, worked at a concession stand at Paulus Park over the summer. 

“I started working at the concession stand for the extra money so that I could save up for a car. I only get paid minimum wage, but I have made lots of new friends and learned customer service skills so the experience was definitely worth it,” Olsen said.