As the end of the school year approaches rapidly, students begin to plan their summers. Along with academic programs, sports, and volunteer opportunities, summer jobs are definitely important and worthwhile. Jobs provide students with real-world experience, connections with those outside of school, and their own income. However, COVID-19 has severely limited job opportunities for high school students because of safety concerns. To help with the upcoming summer job search, The Mirador presents a variety of exciting and lucrative opportunities.

1. Swim or tennis coach:

A popular aspect of Lamorinda summers is participation in swimming and tennis practices or clinics. With sports opening up, especially those that are outdoors, small and regulated tennis and swim practices at clubs are likely to take place. If you enjoy working with children and are experienced in either sport, this opportunity may be right for you. It is social, active, outdoors, and is a great way to gain leadership skills. If interested in a position like this, try reaching out to club or school coaches of these sports or directly inquire about a position at a swim and tennis club. “As a summer coach I teach kids how to play tennis and how to swim! I like the position because it is so fun to see the kids get excited when they can finally do a skill we have been working on. I also love watching the kids improve into better athletes,” junior Riley George, swim and tennis coach at Orinda Country Club, said.

2. Babysitter or nanny:

Summertime means that school is out for students of all ages, which also means that many parents are looking for nanny or babysitting services as they head out to work. If you are responsible, like working with kids, and even have an interest in working in child care in the future, being a nanny or babysitter may be right for you. To find opportunities, try posting about yourself and your qualifications on an app like Nextdoor or reach out to neighbors with young children.

3. Tutor middle school or elementary school students:

Summer is usually spent on vacation, but many students use the break to continue or enhance their education. If you are strong in any particular subjects or enjoy teaching others, you could put up notices on bulletin boards around Lamorinda, post on the community app Nextdoor, or personally reach out to neighbors and family friends with young kids to offer your services as a tutor. In addition to offering your tutoring services independently, you could also apply to work at a nearby educational center such as Mathnasium or Kumon.

4. Camp counselor around the Bay Area:

Although becoming a camp counselor a summer camp out-of-state or out of the Bay Area is difficult because of the current pandemic, becoming a counselor for a day camp in the community may be easier than you think. Camps like Adventure Day Camp and Roughing It Day Camp, both of which are in Lafayette, offer counselor positions to high school juniors and seniors. These opportunities are for those who enjoy working with kids and those who may want to re-live the joys of attending summer camp when they were younger. “Working at the [Orinda Park Pool] camp was such an enjoyable way to spend my summer. It was cool to be in an environment with younger children because it provided me with a lot of great experience for the future. I also loved being able to spend time with others my age in a COVID friendly way,” junior Ava Lagaay said. 

5. Dog walker or pet-sitter:

Summer is vacation season, so many people hit the road or book a flight to their favorite destination during those warmer months. This means family pets are often left behind and taking care of these animals is a popular opportunity that many teenagers can be entrusted to do. As long as you feel comfortable with dogs, cats, and other domestic animals and enjoy spending time with them, pet-sitting or dog walking would be a perfect fit. Similar to nannying or tutoring, to advertise your services you could post on Nextdoor or a community news website and ask friends and neighbors who you know have pets or are traveling during the summer.