From Classrooms to Community: Erie High Students Find Work and Community at Rec Center
Erie, Colorado started as a small town but over the years it has grown to a tremendous size with a large number of 29,367 people residing in Erie Colorado as of 2021. With the population growth, the fast growing number of teenagers searching for jobs has dramatically increased. There are many job opportunities such as Sweets Ice Cream, Starbucks, and many small stores scattered through old town Erie
The Erie Community Center was built January 8th 2008. It is a popular hang out place for all ages due to its Active Adults program, full-court gymnasium, indoor pool, and an upstairs gym for all ages to workout or simply walk the track. With all of these inclusions at the Rec Center students are able to get many jobs setting up for events, helping serve food at the Active Adults program or just supervise activity at the upstairs gym.
Emma Bryan, a Junior at Erie High School who works as a Youth Official states “It gets me involved in the community and I get to meet a ton of cool people and make new friends.” The community center seems to give people a sense of inclusion in the community and coworkers always get along and have amazing communication with one another. When teens look to apply there are many job positions available at the Erie community center. Including sports officials, lifeguards, and party planners. As the community grows the community center gains more and more applicants every year.
Teenagers are drawn to working at the Erie Community Center for a multitude of reasons, with a prevalent one being they feel the sense of familiarity and community it offers. Preston Rogers, a junior at Erie High School states “I chose to work at Erie Community Center because I’ve always seen employees there growing up, and that always made me wanna work there when I was older. I also just really enjoy the community in different aspects of the community center employees.”
The opportunity to contribute to the community they’ve grown up in while enjoying friendships with fellow employees amplifies the appeal of working at the Erie Community Center for teenagers.
Through their experiences, they not only gain valuable skills but also foster connections and a sense of pride in being active participants in the growth and vitality of Erie. The Erie Community Center stands not just as a place of recreation, but as a hub of opportunity and belonging for the teenagers who choose to work within its walls. “If I had to describe the Rec Center in one word I would choose community because it includes everyone with all different types of skill sets” stated Ava Higgins.
The draw of working at the Erie Community Center for teenagers extends far beyond a simple job opportunity. It embodies a sense of belonging, familiarity, and community involvement that resonates deeply with young individuals. Whether inspired by the visible presence of employees during their formative years or drawn to the prospect of contributing to the community they call home, teenagers find fulfillment in the diverse roles offered at the center.
