A student comes home after a long day of school.  He has around two hours of homework, but has to go to his job soon, wondering when the balancing between the two will become too much.           

The average Central student is involved in some sort of extra curricular activity. Whether it be a sport or a club, students generally find something to get involved in. This begs the question: Can students at Central handle school and a job?  

“I do not think it is the school’s job to encourage or discourage students getting a job, but I think a lot of it plays in your role on [getting a job],” said Mrs. Julie Conroy, Spanish teacher. “If students are involved in sports, getting a job is less likely, but I think students who are not in an after school activity like clubs or sports should think about getting into one, or doing something with free time.”

As Mrs. Conroy points out, students sometimes find they must make a choice.  Students may be conflicted by the choice of school or a job. 

“The average student [can hold down school and a job], but there is a lot of work with homework,” said Braden Cunniff, sophomore who works at Kramer’s in Hinsdale.  

Students who have a job currently say it’s manageable, but there has to be a reason why one would work in the first place.  

“[The benefits are] you get money,” Cunniff said.  

Having extra money for various things was a major theme for why many students work during the school year.

“For sure money, money is a big factor, as well as [getting] experience,” said Ryan Katich, sophomore.

Whether students want to build a resume or have a source of income, they can visit the guidance office for additional information on how to apply for a job. Most jobs will only hire teenagers who are at least 16 years old.