MSEJ May 2015 | Page 26

Start your own business. Families in the military community are always looking for dog walkers, babysitters, and people to help with yard work and chores. Have a special skill that could help others? Become an entrepreneur, make some money, and help those in your community.

By: Jamie Boyle

Teens Can Turn Summer into a Time of Growth—

As summer approaches, you or your children may be wondering how they

As summer approaches, you or your children may be wondering how they will spend their free hours during the summer. For many military kids, summer provides the perfect opportunity to earn cash, learn a new hobby or skill, or gain leadership skills.

Summer jobs, volunteer opportunities, and leadership camps offer military kids experience that will help them in their educations and future careers. Teenagers who work and are actively involved in their communities have better college and professional opportunities in the long run. Since CASY & MSCCN advocate for all military-affiliates, we’re taking this opportunity to discuss some summer activities available to military kids.

Summer Jobs

Why Get a Summer Job? Summer jobs provide teens with much needed spending money as well as the chance to gain a variety of important basic job skills—interpersonal skills, customer service, managing resources and money, and so on.

How to Get a Summer Job? Visit your base’s local employment office. Many MWR programs are hiring for seasonal positions at their golf courses, swimming pools, and camps. These positions are perfect for teens.

Venture out into your local community. While many teens don’t have time during the year to commit to a job, they may have time during the summer, and local businesses may have open positions that they are willing to fill for the summer.

Summer Volunteering

Why Volunteer? Volunteering allows teenagers to explore areas of interest, gain work-related skills, and give back to their communities. Think you might be interested in a specific field? Find a volunteer position, gain some experience, and determine your future career path! Additionally, volunteerism is a great addition to a college application!