Working hard and paying your own way are strong values in the United States. Many children first learn this by receiving an allowance—a modest weekly or monthly payment—for doing chores around the house. Later, they often take part-time jobs after school or on weekends to earn spending money, save for college, get practical experience, and gain a sense of independence. Opportunities are numerous and varied—from delivering newspapers to babysitting for neighbors, from bagging groceries at a checkout counter to bussing tables in a restaurant. In fact, many youth, regardless of the economic status of their families, receive their first paychecks before they even reach high school. But to protect children from labor abuse, U.S. law sets the minimum age for employment at 14 years of age for most non-agricultural work and limits to 18 hours the number of hours that minors under the age of 16 may work during a school week.

I got my job almost by accident. My brother had just become a Boy Scout, and we needed to buy his uniform. While my parents shopped for him at the Boy Scout Supply Shop, I stood in the doorway. After a few minutes, the store manager came and asked me if I was interested in a job. At the time, my only income came from occasional babysitting, so I accepted, and was interviewed and hired on the spot.

From then on, every Thursday and Saturday, my mother drove me to the shop where I am a clerk. I ring up customers' purchases, put their items in bags, hand them their receipt, and send them on their way. In addition to operating the cash register, a clerk has to fill out reports that allow the Boy Scouts to move up in ranking, take orders over the phone, and guide first-time parents of Cub Scouts (Boy Scouts for boys ages 5 to 10) through buying their first uniform. It's not easy—early in September, when boys join the Cub Scouts in huge numbers, the store is flooded with new, confused parents who need to be guided, step by step, through the whole process. The shop isn't as busy at other times of the year, though, so I usually have time to get a soda from the vending machines, do some homework, or talk to my co-workers.

Even though I don't have as much free time anymore, I still love my job. The people I work with, including my boss, are kind, helpful, and fun to talk to; also, because most of them are adults, talking to them gives me a unique perspective on life in the "real world." I'm also finally earning my own money, which means I no longer have to borrow from my parents every time I want to buy something. I have a degree of independence that I haven't had before. Having a steady paycheck has taught me how to manage my money effectively, how much to save, and how much to spend, and just how much some of the things I take for granted actually cost. (I had no idea how expensive shoes could be until I bought my own pair.)

In addition, my job has given me better communication skills; it has taught me how to speak to people professionally, how to understand what customers are looking for just by talking to them, and even how to quiet a screaming toddler. Although my job cuts into my free time, I wouldn't trade it or the skills it's given me for anything.

Laura Voss, 16, grade 11, Thomas S. Wootton High School, Rockville, Maryland [http://www.mcps.k12.md.us/schools/woottonhs]

Although I'm not actually holding a job of any kind, I do a lot of work after school. One of the things I do after school is all of my chores because I raise rabbits and swine to show for my local Four-H club. Four-H is a national organization that helps develop skills among rural youth. It's a place where you get to meet a lot of new people and make a lot of new friends and have a great time during the summer.

I also help watch my little brother during the summer and after school. I like to hang out with my friends as much as possible. I also work at my grandparent's house, cutting the grass in the yard and picking weeds from the garden. I like to work. It's a lot of fun and gives you responsibility. The life lesson I have learned is that you have to work for what you want.

Danielle Burdine, 17, grade 11, McCutcheon High School, Lafayette, Indiana [http://www.wvec.k12.in.us/McCutcheon]

School, studying, extracurricular activities, religion, movies and… work, so many things to do, so little time. But jobs can have advantages and disadvantages.

Some advantages are the extra spending money and the experience of the working environment. Another advantage is that a job makes you feel more independent because you can satisfy some of your own needs. You can also choose to save for college or other future plans. Some teens also help with family needs.

One disadvantage is that teens may not grasp the meaning of work because most teens don't pay bills but instead spend their money on expensive luxuries. So they may end up thinking that money is only for spending, and they may not learn how to save. Working students might also have to cut down on studying because they don't have time for it or for other activities such as socializing with friends and family.

Tirza Sevilla, 15, grade 10, Wakefield High School, Raleigh, North Carolina [http://wakefieldhs.net]

I started working at Hecht's [a chain of department stores in several Eastern U.S. states] last summer, actually for school. I am in a class called Marketing III, and as part of that class you are required to get a job. You have to accumulate 396 hours of working time, so you actually get a second credit. So I started my job at Hecht's last July 12, and I work in the junior clothing department, which is hard for me, because I try not to spend all my money buying clothes. But it's actually fun, and it has helped me learn a lot. I am a relatively shy person, but in that position I work at the cash register, and I have to talk to people, make conversation, and control my emotions.

Kristen Grymes, 17, grade 12, James Monroe High School, Fredericksburg, Virginia

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