Jobs and Enjoyment

Over 60% of Polson High School’s student body works in the surrounding community. Students hold jobs in fields ranging from landscaping to retail to food industry. Some students own their own businesses, and others support family businesses. Some students help local families as babysitters, and others hold summer jobs that support the tourism industry and Polson’s economy. 

One way students find employment is through job fairs at Polson High School, which are often few and far between. Polson High School Counselor Chris McElwee describes them as “more of a college fair than a job fair,” with one job fair in October and two others in April that happen yearly. Students can sign up to attend job fairs with high school counselor Nicole Bonner, although most students often don’t even hear about the fairs between email negilgence and rare opportunites. McElwee said that, despite this, “if a student is willing to go talk to employers and come prepared, they can be very successful,” and that “it’s a good opportunity for them (local businesses) to connect to our schools.” He encourages students to attend job fairs when they are available.

Another, much more active employment accessible opportunity within Polson High School, is the School to Work program. The program allows students to take a school period out of their day to work at a job or apprenticeship for half an elective credit. As the advisor and the secretary of the program, Pam Carruth, school registrar, helps students manage time cards and reports, logging their hours to fulfill the ninety hour per semester requirement for the elective. 

To qualify for the elective, students must already have a job and work directly with the counselors to arrange it into their schedule. They must get the employer’s consent to participate, and documention of each student’s hours and have employers vouch for their work hours. Carruth recommended the program, saying, “We have a lot of employers in our community that would love to give students an opportunity to work in their place of employment.” And Carruth would know. She’s seen students work in a wide variety of jobs, everything from fast food to veterinary techs, with students like Max Ramesar and Paige Johnston as great examples. 

Max Ramesar uses the elective to work at D&D Customs, a local mechanic body shop in Polson, owned by  his uncle. Ramesar originally joined his uncle’s place of business after being asked at a Thanksgiving dinner, and it simply grew from there. He now works everyday until roughly seven p.m. As a welder and mechanic, Ramesar appreciates his work, saying he’s “learned to build just about every motor under the sun,” and while he’d rather not live with the retina burns, he often values his job higher than his school work. Luckily, his uncle is a rather flexible person and will give him time to catch up and even encourages Ramesar to keep good grades. 

Paige Johnston on the other hand “runs about a thousand cows” on her family’s ranch, working with her father during her school to work elective in Valley View. She often leaves around lunch to help run the ranch, starting from as soon as she gets home to dusk. Johnston appreciates the opportunity the school to work program gives students to work coherently with the community and to earn money. 

Another student, Rayleen Wadsworth, says: “It is important for students to work during highschool to build a name for themselves since it’s hard to gain that experience later.  You don’t have to rely on your parent’s for a ride or money since you can afford to do it yourself, and it is important to start saving as soon as possible. Saving up for those upcoming loans for college and if not, a car or a trip with friends to make memories and opportunities.”