The Dairy Queen in Papillion is starting to feel less like a fast food restaurant and more like an extension of Papillion-La Vista High School. It is staffed by many students who juggle homework, extracurricular activities, work schedules, and the everyday struggles of teenage life.
Juniors Kyla Jensen and Hannah Wittland are two of the seven Papillion-LaVista high school students that currently work at Dairy Queen. They have both worked there since their sophomore year.
“Work is really fun, especially with my friends,” Wittland said. “The job is very flexible and has taught me a lot.”
Dairy Queen provides a fun, stress-free environment for its high school employees. But like any job, it can be difficult for students to maintain good grades and a social life while having a time-consuming job.
“It really is hard to balance having work and homework every night,” Wittland said. “But I get to hang out with my friends while working which is great.”
Working alongside friends not only makes the load feel lighter, but also gives employees someone to lean on when things get tough.
“If I ever don’t know what to do I can ask my friends for help,” Jensen said. “But sometimes we just don’t respect and listen to each other.”
Balancing productivity and fun can be a major challenge. Also managing good grades at school, attending extracurricular activities, and work commitments can be a struggle.
“I have volleyball and work on some school nights,” Jensen said. “So sometimes I have to find someone to cover my shift which is difficult.”
Although working at Dairy Queen brings some difficulty for students, it also offers many valuable skills and lessons.
“I have gained good social skills, work ethic, and time management.” Wittland said.
These students continue to cherish the impact this job has had on their personalities, along with the memories they have made along the way.
“One night me and Hannah were closing and we slid across the floor with our mops,” Jensen said. “It was only us there so it was really fun and I’ll never forget it.”
As they reflect on their career at Dairy Queen, it is seen as a place where they have learned responsibility, built friendships, and created memories. Working alongside classmates has created a nice combination of school life and work life for these students. They continue to represent our school extremely well by showcasing their kindness and ability to balance academics, extracurricular activities, and real world responsibilities.
