Summer Shifts

Community leaders share how first summer jobs offer lifelong lessons outside the classroom

By TONYA WARREN | Photos by BECKY STINEHOUR

Ahh, the long and lazy days of a teenager’s summer often come to a screeching halt when they receive that first job. Whether it consists of slinging burgers and fries, mowing a neighbor’s lawn, or keeping people safe at the local pool, all jobs share commonalities. People skills, time management and budgeting skills are just a few of the benefits teens learn from that first paid summer gig. For many influential community leaders, the journey to success didn’t begin in an office or a boardroom, it started with sweaty summer shifts – where hard work wasn’t optional, it was expected. Although first jobs are often dismissed as insignificant, they were compelling lessons of grit, humility and leadership.

Retired Staff Sgt. John Footman

Tallahassee boasts of being the capital of the Citrus State, where stunning green spaces offer outdoor relaxation and fun. Although the sandy white beaches of the Gulf were a half an hour from his house, Harker Heights resident and retired Army Staff Sgt. John Footman didn’t have a lot of leisure time while growing up in Florida. Helping care for 12 siblings while his mother worked as a housekeeper and his dad drove a truck for the city, he learned the importance of hard work early on.

At age 16 it was time for Footman to make some money. Although now retired for 38 years, he remembers well that summer of mowing lawns. Fancy and plentiful home improvement stores were more futuristic and electric or battery-operated yard tools weren’t an option.

“I used a manual push mower, hedge trimmer and sling blade to do my yards,” Footman said.

In the 1960s not every teenager was fortunate enough to have a set of wheels to shuffle them to and from a summer job, and Footman was no exception.

“I rode my bike five miles and cut a minimum of three yards a day,” he said.

From 7 a.m. until dark were his usual summer work hours. The pay? $15 per job. Footman credits his parents for helping lay such a firm foundation and not shy away from hard work.

“Through their hard work is where I get my hard work and dedication from,” he said proudly.

Jessica Walker

Get paid to do a summer job for something you already love? Yes, please. For Temple resident Jessica Walker, it was a summer dream come true. The co-owner of Lengefeld Lumber and City of Temple District 1 councilmember, Walker cheered, chanted and danced her way through her first “W-2” job as a National Cheerleader’s Association cheerleading instructor.

“My family encouraged us kids to get summer jobs in the hope that we would become more responsible and learn the value of money,” Walker said.

She was reminded that money doesn’t grow on trees, a concept she quickly learned as she traveled weekly to different Texas college campuses to teach middle school and high school cheer teams.

Sleeping in dorms and eating food provided by the cafeteria, Walker was ever so excited to pocket most of her weekly paycheck of $250. She knew her hard work was worth it as she paraded around town listening to Madonna’s “Like a Virgin” cassette in her new Sony Walkman.

“Be on time, stay off your phone, and be polite and friendly,” Walker said.

Learning how to motivate a team, handle different personalities, and stay composed under pressure are all skills that translated well into public service, she added. Now, those lifelong skills are something to cheer about.

Zoë Grant

Zoë Grant, founder of the nonprofit Zoë’s Wings Foundation, an organization where according to its website is “your beacon of hope, offering comprehensive solutions for life’s challenges, especially in the realm of housing and family well-being.” If that’s not enough, Grant also represents Temple District 2 as a councilmember.

At age 15, while growing up in Denver, she learned responsibility and pride that comes from having done a good job. Thanks to a city initiative to help teenagers with summer work experience, she cleaned classroom books and scraped gum off desks.

“It wasn’t the most glamorous job,” Grant said. “But it was a great way to earn some money and learn the value of hard work.”

Coming from a family of eight siblings, hard work was expected from each family member, and Grant delivered, crediting her family for playing a “huge” role in shaping her work ethic.

She reminisced about how the priority of buying school clothes came before spending money on things like movies and amusement parks.

First summer jobs also provided non-tangible rewards as Grant experienced firsthand.

“That first job helped me develop a love for connecting with people and a passion for helping others,” she said. “I also learned the value of communication, empathy and service.”

These skills have proven beneficial in her work as both a councilmember and as head of her nonprofit, skills she hopes teens today also learn.

She encourages teens to make the most of their job by developing skills that will serve them in the future.

“Embrace conversations with others, and be kind, courteous, and a good listener.” Grant added.

Brian Smith

Afternoon heat and the smell of coconut sunscreen takes Brian Smith back to summer days at Belton’s Summer Fun USA Water Park. Currently the executive director of campus leadership in Belton Independent School District, every day Smith uses the skills he learned in that first job.

“That summer, I learned every job — big or small — comes with challenges and how you handle them makes all the difference,” he said.

Feeling like he was part of the community, making new friends that summer and learning responsibility were also perks of that first job. However, every job, even a teenage summer gig, has some downsides.

“As water park employees, we couldn’t actually jump in the water to cool off,” Smith said, laughing.

As a maintenance and facility worker, he would have loved to take a splash, but he used wisdom in deciding against that venture. He credits his dad for encouraging him to get a summer job, develop a work ethic, and understand the value of earning a paycheck.

“He also told me to show up on time, work hard, and do your best,” Smith said. Today, he’s passing along those same values to his own teenage sons.

Jennifer Weir

Jennifer Weir, Cadence Bank Center’s senior vice-president of Marketing, Sponsorship and Development in Belton, has varied responsibilities that require flexibility, planning, time management and more. Weir believes a lot of on-the-job training while babysitting proved invaluable. Like other teens, Weir wanted a set of wheels.

“My parents told me if I wanted a car, I had to work for it,” she said. “I took this job to help offset costs for my car payments, insurance, gas, and other expenses.”

Saving for college was another chunk of her weekly $100 paycheck.

Caring for two children is no easy task even for adults, but lessons learned by Weir during that first job proved valuable and continues to serve her well to this day. Driving her young charges to and from soccer practice, assisting them with homework, and completing other household tasks proved invaluable lessons learned.

“I learned responsibility, time management, how to budget money for car payments, insurance and gas,” she said. “I also learned how to care for children and manage multiple tasks at once.”

She credits her parents, both of whom were hardworking civil service workers, for instilling the importance of responsibility and hard work in her from an early age.

“Take your job seriously and make the most of the experience.” Weir said. “Show up on time, work hard, and be responsible — it’s a great way to build valuable skills like time management, budgeting, and problem-solving.”

A bonus? You never know how it might help you in the future.