WORKING IT Students look at motivation for, importance of obtaining first job in high school WORDS RILEY LAFERRIERE
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PHOTOS RAY MO
or Kirby Biggs, employee at Some Guys Pizza and junior, starting work at a young age meant more financial freedom, independence and learning opportunities. However, because of child labor laws in Indiana, students must wait until they turn 14 to begin working, even with a work permit or parent approval. However, Biggs said she does not see age restrictions as a downside and believes they can even be a motivator for individuals to obtain a job when they come of age. “I’ve always wanted my own money so I remember always trying to babysit other people’s
DUTIFUL Sophomore Michael Morfas enters work at Rosie’s. He said student employment is important for a sense of independence.
kids,” Biggs said. “So when I was 14, that was the first thing I wanted to do was get a job and be able to make my own money.” Michael Morfas, Rosie’s Place employee and sophomore, said he agreed age limits can be motivators in acquiring jobs. “I think it was (a motivator),” Morfas said. “A lot of kids are excited about getting jobs when they’re younger, and it’s kind of like driving, where by the time you can do it, you just want to do it.” While students cannot legally start work until they turn 14, both Morfas and Biggs said working at a young age in high school can have positive effects including learning life skills, time management and financial independence. According to a 2019 Pew Research study, however, teenage employment decreased from 44.7% in 1948 to 29.2% in 2018, but not because of a lack of motivation in students. Rather, in a 2015 National Center for Biotechnology Information report (NCBI), researchers claimed that many students may not be interested in working because of the hardship of balancing school and work, along with the increased intensity and importance of education. Counselor Katherine Barsten said school performance is one of the only negatives to having a job as a high school student. She said, “I sometimes see kids who work late hours and this affects their sleep, which in turn affects performance in school.” Still, she said, “Having a job can be great practice for time management and balancing academic and extracurricular commitments. And (it) broadens students’ views beyond academics.” Additionally, Biggs said she understands how school can invoke stress and discourage students from applying for a job. Morfas said he agreed and also said while focusing on school and academics is a good option, he still encourages others to apply for a job as it can have multiple benefits. As a solution to balancing school and work, Biggs said she suggests busier students take on smaller jobs during the summer, such as lifeguarding. Even though the Pew Research study showed an overall decrease in teen employment, it still indicated a trend of increased employment during
