[originaltext] Does part-time work have benefits for young students? Ellen G

Does part-time work have benefits for young students? Ellen Greenberger and Laurence Steinberg examined the work experiences of students in four California high schools. It is commonly assumed that youths—through work experiences—learn to get along better with adults. However, students reported that they rarely felt close to the adults with whom they worked. The work experiences did help them understand how the business world works, how to get and keep a job, and how to manage money.
    But Greenberger and Steinberg found that working students have lower grades than non-working students. More than 1 of 4 students reported that their grades dropped when they began working; only 1 of 9 said that their grades improved. But it was not just working that affected grades, more importantly, it was how long they worked. Tenth graders who worked more than 14 hours a week suffered a drop in grades. Eleventh graders worked up to 20 hours a week before their grades dropped. When students spend more than 20 hours per week working, there is little time to study for tests and to complete homework assignments. In addition, working students felt less involved in school, were absent more, and said they did not enjoy school as much as the nonworking students.