Lifeguard: Sitting in the lifeguard stand or walking around the pool deck, enjoying the summer sun and beautiful outdoors while also saving lives, and keeping them from harm in the pool; what could be cooler? Senior Justin Pringle was a lifeguard at the Wenatchee City Pool this past summer and shares his experiences.

The pros: “Lifeguarding is a great summer job that helps your community. Teaching lessons is super fun and the people who I worked with were super cool and nice. You get to spend the whole day outside and get to swim in the pool for free during the between session hours,” Pringle said. “It’s a very professional atmosphere that has flexible hours and is an extremely reliable job.”

The cons: “The only bad part is the maintenance of the pool and having to watch other people have fun. It gets pretty torturous looking at a nice, cool pool on those really hot summer days. But on the whole, the job is very worth it,” Pringle said.

Requirements: Must be a certified lifeguard and over 16 years old. You can take classes for this at the Wenatchee High School pool for $50 or at the East Wenatchee YMCA.

Pay: Slightly above minimum wage at the Wenatchee City pool at about $10 an hour.

Places to apply: The Wenatchee City pool, Wenatchee High School pool, East Wenatchee YMCA pool, and the WRAC.

How to apply: If you are interested in becoming a lifeguard, talk to WHS pool manager John Pringle about his next certification class, or look online for the next one at the East Wenatchee YMCA.

Disclaimer: Applications to the Wenatchee City pool must have been turned in by April 1 to have ensured consideration for the job.

Fast food restaurants: We all know those great places that get us food fast like Arby’s, McDonald’s, or Taco Bell. But have you ever considered working at one this summer? Sophomore Elaine Styles tells about her experience working at D.Q.

The pros: “It’s super fun, and the people I work with are cool, helpful, and understanding. The hours are pretty flexible since you just sign up for shifts. If you want more hours, you just ask your manager and figure it out. Most of the customers are nice that come in,” Styles said.

The cons: “It’s pretty hard to work the register, and you have to go quick. Some people want very specific items, and it’s easy to forget sometimes what they ordered. You have to be on top of things and willing to work with others no matter where you are working. Some of the people who come in aren’t so nice, but overall the job is great and perfect for making some extra cash,” Styles said.

Requirements: Being able to handle fast-paced, stressful situations. Most restaurants will start hiring at 16 years-old.

Pay: $9.47 an hour (minimum wage)

Places to apply: Arby’s, Dairy Queen, McDonald’s, Taco Bell, Taco Time, Wendy’s, etc.

How to apply: Pick up and drop off an application from the restaurant.

Camp counselor: Does spending your day with great kids from around the valley sound like the perfect thing for you? Try being a camp counselor for the Wenatchee Parks and Recreation like senior Francesca Nevil did this past summer. Working with kids ages 5-11 years-old in a five-day camp every week during the summer is a great way to get immersed in the community and find your love for kids.

Pros: “My best times have been spent doing just the little things. Those fun conversations and getting to know them while having fun in the community and playing games.”

Cons: ”Being a counselor is a very exhausting job. By the end of the day, I just want to go to bed because the kids run you down. You want to put your whole heart in the work. It’s a blast,” Nevil said.

Requirements of the job: A lot of experience with kids. CPR or lifeguard training is a great thing to put on your résumé since you may need it while on the job. Must be 16 or older to apply.

Pay: $9.47 an hour (minimum wage)

Places to apply: City of Wenatchee Parks and Recreation Department, the YMCA, Tall Timber Ranch. (online)

“You need to be able to be creative and make any bland situation fun, and have lots of patience,” Nevil said.

Picking: You wake up early in the morning to a beautiful sunrise and head off to the field to pick some of Wenatchee’s great produce. Now to some people, this sounds not-so-glamorous for the back-breaking work that picking is, but junior Ricardo Perez has been working the fields on and off during the summers and shares his experiences.

pros: The pay is based on how much you put into the job and not hourly. The more you want to earn, the more you pick in most places,” Perez said. “I earned about $5 a lug (a box) that I picked and usually would pick about two an hour. I would usually work from 5 a.m. to noon. You can also get the job at any age.”

Cons: “You have to get up early, and it’s very hard work. It gets pretty dangerous at times with all the chemicals they put on the produce and the trucks driving around kicking up dust. You can also fall off the ladders. It’s a pretty hard job on the body,” Perez said.

Requirements: The ability to work physically outside for several hours.

Pay: Depends on where you work and the amount your pick. Usually around $5 a lug.

Where to apply: There are lots of orchards around town or in the area such as Stemilt, or Kyle Mathison Orchards.

“Find the manager and if they have ladders you get your own lane and start picking. You work until the orchard is done,” Perez said.

Babysitting: You talk to the parents as they are off to their date night or night shift. Or maybe they are family friends who simply need help watching the kids every day during the summer break. Whatever it is, babysitting is a great way to make money during these upcoming summer months while learning and using those awesome kid super powers. Senior Kirsten Nygard tells us about her experience with this job.

Pros: “On the job you learn a lot of responsibility and home skills. You really build connections with the kids you are watching and have a lot of fun with them. A lot of time is spent playing with the kids or doing little things in the kitchen and just really helping the parents,” Nygard said.

Cons: “It takes a lot of patience with the kids and a lot of time. You have to be available for the family and pull long hours for the parent sometimes,” Nygard said.

Pay: $6-10 an hour, depends on the household.

Places to apply: Ask around with your friends or family friends. It’s all about connections.

Requirements of the job: Patience and experience with stressful situations and kids. One may also need to know CPR.