Making money

In 1978, 58 percent of teens had summer jobs. However, in 2016 only 32 percent of teens had jobs during the months of June, July and August.

One of the reasons for the decline in jobs is due to the low pay teens typically receive for their efforts.

Decades ago, teens were paid more by the hour, but as the years have gone on, the minimum wage has failed to keep up with inflation.

The most common jobs for teens lie in the fast food industry, where workers make a minimum wage of about $7.25.

Every so often, there are a few teens who get jobs elsewhere making much more, such as in retail, mechanics and even in offices.

One CHS student who managed to avoid the doom of fast-food pay was junior, Abby Williams.

Williams was lucky enough to find a job at Barnes and Noble, thanks to a family friend.

“The benefits of having a job in high school include being able to make money, but another huge thing that people don’t realize is that you can start making connections very early on.”

In a survey of the classes of 2018 and 2019, over half of the students have jobs. While having a job while still in high school can be stressful, it helps teens be more prepared for the future.