High school can be a tough experience for the most intelligent of students. When a teenager has to work and go to school, the pressure can be overwhelming. San Benito High School is familiar with this as many juniors and seniors work afterschool and on weekends.
“Working can put a strain on my academics,” said senior Alyssa Escamilla, who has worked at Premiere Cinemas for two years. ” It’s even more stressful these past few weeks of my senior year.”
“Many seniors who work have difficulty catching up on missing work and teachers rarely understand the circumstances,” said senior Celeste Alvarez, who works at McDonald’s.
“Sometimes you have to sacrifice you’re A’s for B’s, that’s what I realized when I started working,” said senior Jasmine Pantoja, when asked what the biggest change she has seen since she began working at McDonald’s.
Many of the people who work do so for less than 20 hours per week due to restrictions with work permits. However, once a student turns 18, a work permit is no longer required and the student is then able to work as many hours as their manager requires. This can result in students working 30-plus hours each week as well as being full-time high school students. That is not to mention the homework these students have each night.
Although many students choose to work so they can have their own money, many students work out of necessity to support their family at home who, without that income, would not be able to afford the bills.