Not working in the summer, no sweat

Less than half of American teenagers have summer jobs compared to about 70 percent in the 1980s, according to recent national surveys.

There are several reasons, but the three main factors identified by Ben Steverman, a reporter for Bloomberg, are many workers are working past the age of 65, and an older experienced worker is more desirable by an employer than an irresponsible teenager, while many in the teen demographic do not believe summer jobs — and their corresponding pay — adds value to their lives.

Steverman reported that a $7.50-an-hour job is not going to contribute much to the high college costs that have risen past the rate of inflation. In the Five Towns, students are taking part in a variety of summer activities including jobs, internships and summer classes.

Rom Raviv who will be entering his senior year at Hewlett High School is interning at Northwell Hospital. He is not only earning money, but he is also adding experience to his resume and learning about the operations of a hospital.

In addition to his internship, Raviv also attended a two-week soccer program at Hofstra University, to improve his skills for the upcoming high school season.

She teaches golf to children ages 4-15 and works as caddy at the Rockaway Hunting Club in Lawrence. “I pride myself on being able to share my passion and love for the game with others,” she said.

Matthew LeBlanc, another Hewlett student entering his last year of high school, is using the summer to take drive’s education classes and prepare for his road test. After completing the course, he will be eligible to obtain his senior license at the age of 17 compared to 18 for those who do not gain the completion form from driver’s ed.

Whether high school or college students, teens are aiming to expand their knowledge by taking classes at local colleges. Gabby Nakkab who will be a Hewlett High freshman, is participating in a STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) program at California State University. “I am going to deeper understand the great legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen, in addition to being taught how to fly an airplane,” she said.

Justin Rapp, who will be beginning high school in September, is taking an advanced veterinarian course at Hofstra University. He is learning about farm animals and how “to feed and maintain them,” he said.

Marc Gotlieb, who is entering Cooper Union this fall, is a part of a science research program at the Garcia Program at Stony Brook University. Gotlieb said he not only enrolled in this program to add to his resume, but also to further explore his love for science.

Summer jobs have decreased in popularity, but many students are still finding productive ways to spend their summers. With classes ranging from sports to medicine, colleges such as Hofstra provide plenty of learning experiences for teenagers. While jobs are still an option for students over the summer, they are not the only option.