The student workforce that have to hold a job and still balance schoolwork, continue to advance in the working world. They are earning promotions and prosper at their jobs.

“I was promoted to Sonic Crew Leader where I have a lot more responsibility,” senior Brianna Bristol said. “I plan to pursue my own career and my job right now. It’s good training to be a hard worker.”

Each job helps the students to discover their talents and advance to higher positions.

“My job has helped me come out of my shell and learn better communication skills and learn a new level of responsibility,” senior Johnny Mendoza-Watson said. “I plan to stay at my job, and hopefully become an assistant manager.”

Moving up the corporate ladder is what students aim to do in order to better themselves.

“I want to get an even higher position and earn more raises,” senior Ge’Quasha Whitfield said. “I like my job because of the friendly environment and flexible hours.”

Having extra hours from school to do homework enables DECA students to have more time to focus on their customers.

“I love helping people and being able to make a customer happy,” Mendoza-Watson said. “I honestly feel like it [my job] is what I’m good at.”
The DECA program has helped students discover their strengths as well as helped them with challenging situations.

“One morning I had to explain to them [the customers] that our system was down and we couldn’t take orders,” Bristol said. “It was stressful and really difficult, but it was an interesting experience.”

Challenging and random experiences are ones that can help the student workers to move forward and learn different traits.

“I’ve learned to control my attitude especially with the customers,” Whitfield said. “One time, this lady from France came in and I had to help her count American money.”

The different circumstances help the students to move forward and help their different customers.

“I like serving my customers and making sure they leave happy,” Bristol said. “That makes me feel well that I did my job and its just nice to have people being pleased with my service.”

Making customers happy and pleasing them gives positive feedback to help with getting promotions.

“I was extremely excited about the promotion due to the fact my manager gave me my keys and told me I deserved it,” Mendoza-Watson said. “Plus it was my birthday, so it just made it better.”