For some students, working hard to earn money is another part of growing up, but for many others, finding and maintaining a job seemed impossible.

There are a variety of challenges that students face when it comes to finding work. First off, keeping up with seven classes worth of assignments is hard enough without sacrificing several hours a week to a part-time job. Sophomore Lydia Budz, for example, would like to get a job but finds it difficult to apply while maintaining good grades.

“I think school is an issue because students worry about how they can squeeze in work with school work,” Budz said.

Another factor that keeps some students from finding employment is age. Due to labor laws and general stereotypes, most employers consider freshmen such as Brahm VanAntwerp too young to hire.

“I’ve applied to a bunch of places, but most places won’t hire me because I’m only 15,” VanAntwerp said.

Even older students who would be ideal employees cannot seem to catch a break.

Senior Josh Morton has been applying to a wide range of local establishments such as Target, The Outback, Wegman’s, and even the YMCA with no success.

“I’m not too picky when it comes to work, but I think it’s hard for teenagers to get jobs because our economy kinda sucks right now,” Morton said.

According a 2012 Washington Times article by Ben Wolfgang, “In 1990, 32 percent of high school students held jobs, versus just 16 percent now.”

Wolfgang explains that this isn’t because teenagers are getting lazier but, “Sectors that traditionally have offered teens their first paying gig — fast-food chains, movie theaters, malls and big-box retailers — have now become the last resorts for out-of-work college graduates or older Americans forced back into the labor force out of sheer financial necessity.”

Finding the right job is only half the battle. Students such as senior Ross Grasso know how difficult it can be to honor other commitments as well as having an ideal work schedule.

“I focus on school and baseball so that affects how many hours I work and how much money I make,” Grasso said. “I usually can only fit in about twelve hours but I would love if I could work at least twenty.”

Grasso prioritizes his school work over making money, but for some students, good grades and a good pay-check do not coexist so well.

Math teacher Eileen Palmer has noticed several students whose school work has suffered when the stress of  job becomes too much.

“I think jobs are good in moderation because they do teach kids to be responsible, but they need to be able to manage their schoolwork,” Palmer said. “I’ve seen kids who have been exhausted in class and can’t focus because they worked too much.”