Many students participate in activities outside of school life, from playing on sports teams to participating in academic clubs. They are leaders in a variety of ways and use their time outside of school for these extracurricular activities. Some students choose to take on responsibility by being leaders in their professional workplaces.

Junior Noah Wikel has been working at McDonalds since freshman year. Since November 2021, he has worked in a managerial role in order to try new things and earn money while doing it.

“When becoming a manager, you get a lot of responsibilities, such as making sure you have everything stocked for your shift and making a plan on where to place people for your shift,” Wikel said.

Junior Tehya Brian works at Penn Station and is also a manager.

“I originally brought up the idea of being a manager simply because I wanted to learn more at my job because I had already learned everything I needed to as a crew member,” Brian said. “I had the seniority and already had people relying on me most shifts and closings, so I felt it was a good fit for me.”

Brian believes that her compassion strengthens her ability as a leader.

“I always try to help where help is needed and don’t leave others behind when they’re struggling, which often can be hard to find in managers,” Brian said. “Because I spent so long at my job being a crew member and had to work hard to make my way up to a manager, I know what it’s like to be someone I am supposed to be responsible for. Other employees typically look up to me or rely on me to know what to do, so it can be stressful at times, but it’s more rewarding than anything else.”

While Brian enjoys the atmosphere created by the camaraderie with her coworkers, freshman Matthew Phillips likes building relationships with the customers at his dad’s grocery store, Phillips Produce.

“I am very friendly and I like to listen to what the customers have to say and their input on how the world looks in their eyes,” Phillips said. 

Phillips has a unique position working not only at a local business, but a family-owned one. From going to the wholesaler to pick up produce to helping customers looking to buy, Phillips has gained experiences in various areas.

“I like being able to interact with customers in every aspect of a small business,” Phillips said. “I also like to have the one-on-one piece that other companies don’t have. It is also great to build relationships with the customers. Sometimes when you have a usual customer you learn their name pretty quickly.”

Senior Natalyn Vanzee, who works as a shift leader at Smoothie King, says the unique aspect of her job is the ability it gives her to interact with others.

“My favorite part is either handling all of the closing tasks at night with counting drawers and putting everything into the system and locking everything up or working with all of the team members,” Vanzee said. “When you’re a shift leader, you get to work with two different shifts so you just get to see a ton of the team members and I love bonding with all of them. Going to work should be something fun, not something you dread.”