As the senior class prepares to graduate this June, many of them will leave behind their memories, their friends, their hometown, and their jobs.

Much of the junior and senior class is employed part-time. However, as the seniors go off to college they will also leave behind their jobs which will then become available to younger students.

“I am planning on working at PAC over the summer just to make some money for college, but as soon as the school year comes around I’m going to have to quit and focus on school,” said senior Kiana Yekrang.

Like Yekrang, the majority of employed seniors said that they would like to keep their current jobs for the summer but will have to quit before going off to their various new schools to start a life of their own.

Quite a few juniors who are currently employed responded similarly. They said that they would like to continue working whether it be at their current job or in a new environment.

“I have been working at Nothing Bundt Cakes for most of my senior year and it is going to be weird when I leave for college and don’t have to go in to work all the time. I may or may not look for a new job in college but it won’t feel the same as walking into the store every day and seeing my friends that I’ve gotten so close to,” said senior Alison Fitch.

Along with Fitch, seniors Roxy Barker and Isabella Sziraczky are employed at Nothing Bundt Cakes and plan to continue working there until they go their separate ways for college.

“I know when the seniors leave it will be sad to not have them here but as far as employment goes, there will be so many more opportunities to get jobs at the places the seniors used to work at,” said junior Lauren Pittock.

Juniors and even a few sophomores that are of the appropriate working age have realized that as soon as the seniors quit their jobs and go to college they will be able to take the seniors’ old jobs.

“I know that quite a few seniors work at Nothing Bundt Cakes, the Chef Shop, and other shops on Laurel Street and I think those are all really convenient places to work because they have flexible hours and are all in great locations. As much as I do not want the seniors to leave, I do want to get a job relatively soon,” said junior Frieda Freeman.

As the seniors go their separate ways and leave behind their friends, families, and jobs to start new chapters in their lives they will leave behind employment opportunities and shoes to fill for many of their younger classmates.