Summer isn’t all about fun anymore

When Matt Stein, 18, of Oceanside, signed up to be a camp counselor three years ago, he didn’t realize that he was about to embark on one of the most rewarding journeys of his life.

But now, after having been “schooled” in basketball by third graders a few thousand times, he is quick to express his love for his summer job.

“It’s one of the best possible jobs that a teenager could ask for,” said Stein. “It isn’t all that stressful and you get paid to have fun and make kids happy.”

Serving as a complement to a textbook-heavy school year, summer jobs often provide a somewhat recreational medium for high schoolers to take their foot off the gas pedal while still remaining productive in a structured setting. And of course, they get paid to do so.

There are a multitude of summer jobs available to teens everywhere, and if you’re lucky enough to be somebody like Matt Stein, you might even find a job that you love to do.

According to Stein, the best part of his job is to help facilitate his campers’ passions, whether it be in sports, art, or even chemistry.

“I’ve had third graders that knew more about chemistry than most middle schoolers,” said Stein. “It’s inspiring to see such young children displaying such interests.” Stein himself has been an avid fan of the sciences throughout his school career. In fact, he plans to study pre-med at SUNY Geneseo in the fall. Seeing campers express passions that he shares serves as an incredibly exhilarating experience.

“I get overjoyed when I’m able to contribute to what they’re most passionate about and seeing their eyes light up,” he said.

Jacob Pomerantz, 17, also of Oceanside, knows just how important water safety is. A former lifeguard at the Friedberg JCC, Pomerantz has been trained and equipped with a special set of skills in case someone runs into trouble in the water.

“There is a lot of prerequisite training and testing for a lifeguard position,” he said. “There is a lot of responsibility; peoples lives are in your hands.”

Pomerantz, who plans to attend SUNY Binghamton, expressed tremendous gratitude for his training. “Even though I’ve never encountered an emergency,” he said, “being able to have the ability to [save a life] is rewarding.”