Vol. 90, No.6 • April 2011 • Lakewood High School • 14100 Franklin Blvd. • Lakewood, OH • 44107www.lakewoodtimes.net

The Lakewood Times2 The Lakewood Times

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The Lakewood TimesThe Lakewood Times April 2011 3

Unless you’ve spent the past few years under a rock, you’ve probably heard of the decline of the economy. And, if you leave your house every once in a while, you’ve most likely witnessed its effect first-hand.

With summer drawing closer, many teens are beginning to feel the pressure of finding a summer job, and paying for their current or future expenses. Because this is a topic with such broad scope, the Times staff decided to devote a special issue to investigating the economy’s effects on teenagers.

Each section is split into a various topics, such as jobs, stress at home, recreation, college, and driving. Read on.

Editor’sNote

contents Vol. 90 Issue 6 April 2011

Stress4 Nameless struggles to survive 6 Alumna’s pain still fresh8 Are we losing the middle?

Driving10 Drive yourself wild12 Gift of carpooling Insurance13 Problems at the pump

Recreation14 Money: now and them16 Matt’s mooching & Juan’s milking17 How Mrs. C sees it18 Saving with style19 Money-less, what to do20 Kids with credit cards

College21 Employed v.s unemployed22 Community College23 Sandoval aids students Dreams dashed by reality 25 Does money equal happinessJobs26 Jobs 28 Final Word

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About the coverPhoto by Juan AmadorPhoto illustration by Lisa Kowalski Block letter images on front and back cover by Leo Reynolds

Times staff 2010/2011 Co-Editors-in-Chief Deven Middleton Fiza Shah

Design & Sports Editor Lisa Kowalski

News Editor Sam Cross

Opinon Editor Alberto Rodriguez

Lakewood Life Editor Julia Houska

Copy Editors Melissa Gajewski Gwen Stephen

Adviser Karen Ballash

Editorial Board Members Juan AmadorTori ChesmarGrace CoyKaty Eberl Grant GravesMatt Majewski Lindsey McEnteeHaley McGintyAndrew O’Connor Lily PollackPeter Quigley Meredith Richards Wilson Sackett Naseem SheanPaige SmigelskiSabrina SuleimanToby Tobin

The Lakewood Times4 Stress The Lakewood Times

Students with stories of financial hardship walk by us each day. They belong to our class-mates and friends. The stories aren’t told and are often not looked for. Students who deal with these issues often don’t want to “brag about how hard [their] lives are,” said an LHS ju-nior who wishes to remain anonymous.

This student has one of those stories.

“The financial strug-gle in my family have always been present, but even more so in the past year,” she said. “My family bare-ly makes $21,000 a year, if that.”

The national pov-erty level for a family of three is $18,350, according to 2011 federal poverty guidelines. With an income only a few

thousand dollars above the poverty line, even the basics begin to be-

come a headache. “[Things] like

school fees that oth-ers take for granted

are really a tough ex-pense to pay,” she said. Things are only made more

difficult by the lack of a job. Unsuccessful in her search,

she is not in a position to lessen the financial stress at home.

“I’ve sought out a job to no avail,” she said, “and [having a job] would certainly help our situation with one less p e r s o n d e p e n d i n g

s o l e l y

Fighting against the current

on a single mother’s income.” When a job does come around

though, she is prepared to help. “I would place about 40% of

my earnings in a college fund, and give the rest to my fam-ily,” she said. “I’m a teenager [and] I don’t need the money for anything important. Until I do, I’m sure my family can ben-efit from it far more than I can.”

Despite the difficulty she faces on an everyday basis, this student chooses not to let the financial stress of her home get her down.

“It’s not a matter of whether or not the pressure is fair, it’s there,” she said, “My mother doesn’t ask for this pressure to be put on her, it just is. And being a single mom means she needs some-one on her side, and that person happens to be me. I’d rather share it and lessen her burden than allow her to feel it alone.”

Determined to make a bet-ter life for herself and her family, she tries not to let her struggles interfere with her school life.

“I’ve never felt the pressure to drop out of school,” she said. “I feel that my making it through school and acquiring a well pay-

By Al Rodriguez

ing job would be the one thing to aid my family’s financial situation in the future. I’m determined to do everything I possibly can to eventually help out my family.”

Although her tale isn’t a cheerful one, she sees her situation as better than some.

“I focus on the fact that there are those who are far less for-tunate in the world. I focus on the gratitude I should have for a roof over my head and shoes on my feet, and to not have to worry about having enough food for my next meal.”

LHS students struggle to stay afloatwhen financial stress hits home.

The Lakewood TimesThe Lakewood Times April 2011 5

Fighting against the current W

hen

a ho

use

is n

ot a

hom

e

By S

am C

ross

don’t know what I would do,” he

says. “I feel like they are my fam-

ily, more so than my real family.”

Smith hardly ever sees his dad

and two brothers and barely sees

any other family members because

not many live near Lakewood.

“My grandpa [is the only one

I see],” said Smith. “I rarely ever

communicate with my fam-

ily, I mostly keep to myself. My

brothers usually stick together

and share the same friends.”

For Smith, living at home is

like living alone, yet he still has to

abide by his fathers seldom rules.

“I don’t really feel comfortable

[living at home] because I feel

When

a family has to

pick up their things, move

away from everything they’ve become

familiar with and start over completely, it may

be a bit difficult, especially for a child. “When I first

found out I might be moving [from Lakewood], I was con-

cerned about what would happen with my schooling and relationships

After an unexpected death in

the family, and an unexpected

visit from the government, finan-

cial hardship at Dave Smith’s

home only became worse.

“I live with my two broth-

ers and my dad,” said Smith.

“When my mom passed away

in October because of a heart

attack, a lot of things changed.

I gained more responsibility and

had to be home more rather

than going out with friends.”

The pressures from the costs of

living are not only on the shoulders

of the homeowner, but the chil-

dren living under the same roof.

“I have been looking for a job

since I turned 16, a little over

a year,” said Smith. “My dad

does not make steady income.

He frequently misses work and/

or loses his job all together,” he

said. “I don’t look up to my dad

because he isn’t really a good

father figure. However he has

shown me what not to do in life.”

Figures the FSA show that

340,000 are holding back on pay-

ing their mortgage. Although liv-

ing with three other people has

become very hard, Smith knows

he has certain friends to rely on.

“If I didn’t have the friends I have

made here in Lakewood, I really

with my friends,” said an LHS junior who wishes to remain anonymous. Between

the months of June and September of just last year, 13,161 families were evicted, acc-

ording to City Watchdog, the Financial Services Authority (FSA). From these statistics, fami-

lies are being evicted every ten minutes. “We’ve moved about four times because we have always

come into some sort of issue where a source of income is lost, either from my dad or mom,” said the student.

limited in what I can do, I want

more freedom and to be able to

feel more stable (which is why I

would like to live with a friend).”

Living with a friend might help

some of these student’s hardships

but financial distress still lingers.

“I want to have a job to be able

to support myself and help others

like they help me (rather than get-

ting everything from my friends)

and to save for any type of emer-

gency. When friends pay for me,

I feel like a burden to an extent,

because I know that they could be

using that money for themselves.

And I think about the next time they

might need something and can’t

get it because of me,” said Smith.

With more than several things he

has on his mind, it hasn’t stopped

him from looking at his future.

“I would like to study business

and accounting,” said Smith, “either

at OSU, the University of Cincinna-

ti, or even John Carroll because I

heard they have a good program.”

It might not be easy to point out

students in the hallway or individu-

als on the street who are struggling

in life. However, just because these

problems are not always identifiable,

it does not mean they do not exist.

We’ve movedabout four

times becausewe have always come

into some sortof issue... -anonymous

”

“

LHS students struggle to stay afloatwhen financial stress hits home.

All names in this article have been changed in order to protect the student’s identity

The Lakewood Times6 Stress The Lakewood Times

The phenomenon of teens be-ing placed in an adult world of finan-cial responsibility isn’t one new to 2011.

The experience of a 2007 LHS alumni (who wishes to remain anonymous) illus-trates a not-so-far away past. His story shows that financial pressure does not al-ways disappear with the passage of time.

“I never talked to anyone about it when it happened to me,” said the LHS gradu-ate, currently a student at Cleveland State University, “I felt kind of ashamed that I had to start supporting myself when I was 16. It’s not what a teenager should deal with.”

Her story of financial difficulty begins at her junior year of high school at LHS.

“I got a job so I could make my own mon-ey, so I rewarded myself with things such as new clothes, running gear and a new cell phone,” she said. “The day I bought [myself] one, my parents yelled at me with things like “We can’t pay our own phone bill, but you can pay for yours?” and “We can’t pay for the electric bill. How are you going to charge your phone without electricity?”

“I was only 16, and it was a lot to deal

with.” It wasn’t long before things got worse. “Four days after my 17th birthday, my fam-

ily got evicted,” she said. “So, I stayed with another family so I could graduate from LHS. I still worked to make [my own] money, but every other week or so since the eviction left my parents [without money], they would call me and ask for [some] -- making me feel guilty that they couldn’t afford to eat, but that I could, since I lived with another family.”

This pressure didn’t take her down, however. She graduated from LHS, and went on to college. But even at college, her past financial difficulties revisit her.

“Every year when I fill out my FAFSA, I have to call my parents and ask them for their fi-nancial information, and every year it’s a has-sle. It usually ends up with my mom saying something like ‘I haven’t filled out taxes. I owe the government money for last year. I’m sorry that we’re not financially stable enough to pro-vide you with money for college,’” she said.

“It causes at least a 45-min-ute argument every year”.

Now a biology major at CSU, she intends to complete her degree and continue on

Gaps. Gaps are everywhere nowadays. There are gaps in the ozone layer, gaps in legislation, gaps in wallets, Gap clothing stores and an increasing amount of gaps in social status.

Today, the term The Average Joe has become an obscure one. With the recession in full bloom, the common man has al-most become extinct. The mid-

dle class is rapidly disappearing. The University of California

reports that income inequal-ity is soaring, with the bottom 20% of wage earners in 2005 averaging around $10,000 per year and the top 20% averag-ing around $160,000 per year, a 1,500 percent difference.

Today, politicians bring tax cuts for the rich as well as cuts in public service wages and welfare. For example, the state govern-ment has recently passed Sen-ate Bill 5, a bill that inhibits public service workers from collective bargaining, as well as issuing major cuts in spending and con-sequently the workers’ salaries.

The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities reports that in

2010, 29 states cut public health programs, 24 states cut pro-grams for the disabled and the elderly, 29 states cut aid to public education through high school, and 39 states cut scholarship money from public universities.

Overall, it is clear that the government is short on money.

Corporations have had an easier time dealing with the economy. In 2004, the White House reported that multina-tional corporations paid about $16 billion in taxes while earn-ing around $700 billion. In other words, the companies that have supposedly been victims of hard times only had to chip off 2.3 percent of their earnings.

Some companies such as

to graduate school. The issues she faced in high school haven’t slowed her down, and she intends to sprint to the finish.

“[My experiences] have given me extra motivation to finish my degree,” she said. “I’ll be the first one in my family to gradu-ate with a bachelor’s degree, and my driv-ing motivation is so I can financially sup-port however many kids I have one day.”

If today’s students are deal-ing with problems similar to those she faced, she shares a message of hope:

“Stick through it, and stay strong. As clichéd as it sounds, it’ll feel ten times [better when] whatever aca-demic goal you have is finally reached.”

LHS alumna’s story still hits home

Let’s hold on to what little we’ve got

General Electric have actu-ally earned money from tax rev-enue. According to the New York Times, GE has gained a tax benefit of $3.2 billion, with its total earnings weighing in at $14.2 billion. At the same time, the company reportedly paid no taxes to the government.

While the general popu-lation is forced to bear the burden of the economy, the wealthy have been prosperous.

If the government is so low on money, why can’t it sim-ply tax companies like General Electric, instead of cutting jobs and programs from public sec-tors? Why can’t it trim the al-ready monstrous amount of money big businesses make

An opinion by Peter Quigley

By Al Rodriguez

The Lakewood TimesThe Lakewood Times April 2011 7Stress

instead of sucking every penny out of middle class workers?

It is simply unfair that CEOs, the undeniable culprits of the recession when companies like AIG went bankrupt back in 2008 due to poor business de-cisions, are not only exploiting middle and lower class Ameri-cans, but our very own govern-ment is aiding them in doing so.

If things continue to go like this, the middle class will be no more. It is clear that wealthy citi-zens and poorer citizens will each be on separate glaciers heading

in opposite directions. The poor get poorer and the rich get richer.

The impoverished are left to a world where they are at incredulous disadvan-tages to wealthier people.

First off, they struggle to find money for college while the rich are able to afford almost any school, getting a better educa-tion. After that, the poor either don’t receive an adequate edu-cation or they find themselves buried in student loans, while the rich easily land high-paying jobs.

One of the biggest problems

middle and lower class Americans have to deal with is health care.

With our country lacking uni-versal health care, it has caused many people to find themselves in economic stress. In 2009, Harvard and Ohio University researchers discovered that 62 percent of bankruptcies in America were due to health care expenses. The common victims were almost always or-dinary, middle class citizens.

But that’s not the main problem facing poorer Ameri-cans. Beyond their struggle

to accumulate money for life’s needs, they also face deep-er problems psychologically.

Money is everything in Amer-ica, and the poor must live in this world, too. They live in a world where everyone has to have a car and everyone has to pay for their own insurance.

One of the few things the rich and the poor have in common is that they live in a world ruled by media. Every day, millions of Americans are fed commercial after commercial, being merci-lessly led to believe that if they buy a fancy new car, they are superior to their peers. Beautiful celebrities decorate the spaces in between the price tags, don-ning decadent clothing and smiling brilliant, pearly smiles characteristic of the “elite.”

The worst part about our crazy, capitalistic, cantankerous, cash driven country is its psycho-logical implications. Poor Ameri-cans are unfortunately led to be-lieve that they aren’t as good as rich Americans. They are forced to believe that if they don’t own obnoxiously spacious homes in Beverly Hills, they are failures.

In the game of life, they were losers from the start, the sor-rowful victims of those with silver spoons in their mouths.

Imagine living in a world where you’re surrounded by homes you cannot afford. Imagine being surrounded by peers in your school that have cooler clothes than you, but you can-not afford to buy them. Above all, imagine a world where you sometimes feel that you sim-ply cannot amount to anything.

This is our nation’s dire dilemma. I wish I had an an-

swer on how to solve it.

Art by Matt Majewski

8 The Lakewood TimesDriving The Lakewood Times

Driving: it’s just another stage of matura-tion for most students. Another step towards freedom and self-reliance.

But, it’s a step that comes at different times for everyone. It can arrive swiftly, hot on the heels of your sweet sixteen, or linger about as a possibility until you’re eighteen and no longer have to worry about classes.

“I got mine right away,” said senior Drago-slav Cvijetinovic. “I was under the impression I would be getting a car. Yeah, that didn’t happen.”

Cvijetinovic got his license on January 17th of his sophomore year, twenty-nine days af-ter his sixteenth birthday. No longer suffering under the delusion of owning his own vehicle, he drives only his family cars: either a 1998 Buick or a 1996 Chevy.

Cvijetinovic isn’t the only one driving around the family car. Most Lakewood High School students don’t own their own car. Senior Leon Kratz drives his mother’s 1994 Honda Civic, and Sarah Sponsler, also a se-nior, drives either a dated Ford Contour or a minivan.

For Sponsler, sharing a car with her par-ents works out just fine.

“I’d have to drive everywhere if I owned my own car,” Sponsler said. “I already do enough driving, picking up my sisters, taking them to classes and such. It’s all to help my mom out, and I don’t mind it and I don’t need my own car to do it.”

But what about the limitations of not hav-ing your own car? You can’t just grab the keys and go when they aren’t your keys to grab. Sure, you have your license, but what good is a shiny piece of plastic with your pic-ture on it if it just lays wasted in your wallet every weekend?

“I don’t feel limited,” said Sponsler. “All my friends drive, so I’ve never been kept from going where I want to go just because I don’t own my own car.”

Driving isn’t for everyone, as Sponsler

made clear, but it is for a lot of underage Ohioans. In Ohio, there are 520,570 teenage drivers, 43% of the high school population of the state.

Kratz is included in that percentage and has been since he was sixteen. According to Kratz, “having [his] own car to drive would make things infinitely simpler.”

“I’m actually a secret scientist at the NASA Glenn Research Center, in the Nuclear Moon Science Division.” Kratz said soberly. “Get-ting dropped off by my mommy at the front door hurts the intense effect of my white lab coat sometimes. It’d be better if I could roll up solo.”

While the validity of Kratz’s alleged profes-sion at NASA is questionable, it does raise a good point. What about work? Cars are great for joyrides and delivering you and your buds to super fun destinations, but doing all that costs money. Teens need money, so teens need jobs. A lot of jobs for Lakewood teenagers are local, within either walking or biking distance.

“I’ve worked at the Y as a lifeguard for the past three years,” said senior Mary Shannon.

Drive yourself wild

Senior Dragoslav Cvijetinovic looks good with four wheels.

By: Melissa Gajewski

Senior Danielle Lesko embraces her vehicle.

The Lakewood Times April 2011 9

“I guess I would have tried to work someplace else, but there’s really nothing else I can walk to that has openings. I don’t drive.”

Not everyone lives a hop and a skip away from their place of business, as Shannon does. Nearby jobs are coveted by the car-less, but more doors are opened to those who can make the motorized trek out of the city limits. Senior Danielle Lesko falls into that number of driver-dependents.

“I probably would have been stuck at Dunkin’ Donuts up the street from me if I didn’t drive,” Lesko said. “I was able to get work at CYC [Cleveland Yachting Club] be-cause I could drive there.”

Though Lesko doesn’t have her own car, she and her mom work out when Lesko can take their 2010 Nissan Altima. Being able to drive opened Lesko up to an excellent sum-mer job, giving her guaranteed, good paying work five months out of the year.

Lesko and her mother make it work, prov-ing that as high school students, not every-one needs a car for work. Yet.

“I know I’ll need my own car eventually,” said Sponsler. “Probably by my third year [of college,] when I start student teaching.”

Sponsler plans to go to Bowling Green State University to study music education. On campus, she won’t need a car, which is also the case at many other popular colleges for Lakewood graduates.

“I’m probably going to OU next year, and you’re not even allowed to have a car there as a freshman,” said Cvijetinovic. “So I don’t technically need a car, but right now it would just be so much more convenient.”

That’s a word you’ll hear dropped by most everyone who has a car: convenience. No planning who gets the wheels when, no re-membering to adjust the mirrors in your dad’s car before you give it back. Your own car, to do with as you please (unless you’re on your parents insurance, in which case it is sug-gested you tread lightly).

“If I had a car, I’d have it for whenever I wanted, to go wherever I wanted. I wouldn’t have to share with my mom, or bum rides home from my friends all the time,” Kratz said.

“If I had my own car, life would just be easi-er.” Lesko said. “Definitely more convenient.”

(Above) Senior Sarah Sponsler happy to be licensed.

(Above) Sponsler demonstartes perfect 10-and-2 hand postitioning.

Lesko looks ready for a ride.

10 The Lakewood TimesDriving The Lakewood Times

any students have a hard time trans-porting themselves from activity to ac-

tivity. If they do not have their license they usually depend on mom and dad or a friend to help with transportation.

Lots of students need rides to and from school and to various activities, including extracurricu-lars. While ther are various opin-ions concerning car-pooling, it is still a viable and widely used form of transportation.

“It is a great way to cut down on the amount of drivers going to a mutual destination,” said senior Luke Fesko, who is a member of Barnstormers, Tennis, Cross

By Grant Graves

The gift of car poolingCountry and Eaters of Lake-wood, just to name a few. “Car-pooling for me is not to much of a nuisance. It is a great way to cut down on greenhouse emis-sions and it is also a lot of fun, if it is done right.”

Senior David Reulbach feels as if car-pooling and giving rides is a drain on his wallet and very inconvenient.

“Sometimes when I am driving people home, I cannot get dinner because the food will get cold or I do not have to time to run er-rands. It also costs me money driving others home. The extra gas it takes to drop people off is taxing on my economy.”

MGetting there together beats going alone

Senior Mikaela Tardivo drives home with friends.

Cars line up to exit the Mods parking lot after school

The Lakewood Times April 2011 11

For teen drivers, car insurance is an ever important topic. Nearly all teens would love to be driving, but what holds many back is the cost of car insurance.

Though necessary for a person to drive, the expensive cost of car insurance will leave a serious dent in nearly every teen’s budget. Since many teens do not have jobs, it can be very difficult for them to come up with the required payments every month.

According to www.rmiia.org, teen drivers age 15-20 accounted for 16% of all reported car accidents in 2006. A car accident can raise insurance rates, which is the last thing teens want, especially if they are paying the bill themselves.

For a number of student drivers, parents pick up the tab and the student is free to drive without the heavy burden of paying the monthly bill. On whether he would still drive if he had to pay the insurance bill, senior Luke Fesko said, “probably not.”

Seniors Evan Roder and Kevin Ritter both drive, but do not personally pay for car in-surance. Roder said he wouldn’t be able to drive if he had to pay, “because [he doesn’t] have the money.”

If he had to pay for his own insurance, Rit-ter said, “I would not have my own car, but I still would be driving.”

For others, they must pay the car insur-ance and must often get a job in order to do so. Getting a job just so one can afford to drive around town may seem unreasonable, but it is something many teens deal with.

Because of the high price of today’s car insurance, some students find that it’s not worth it at all. Senior Kyle Kvasnicka doesn’t drive because he doesn’t want the hassle of a monthly insurance payment.

“In order to drive I have to spend $100 per month. That’s not worth it for me,” Kvasnicka said.

Junior Jesse Littleton is one student who does pay for his insurance every month, at a price of around $150 per month.

“It’s awful,” Littleton said.Adding a teen driver’s car insurance is a

heavy bill, but not one that can’t be lowered. Websites such as www.freeinsuranceadvice.com suggest tips to lower the rates of teen

insurance. Picking a smart used vehicle, or taking a driving course can lower the cost of the insurance. Avoiding accidents, and even having good grades at school can help keep the cost lower.

By Toby Tobin

Insurance means money out of your wallet

5PLANNING STEPS WHAT TO DO FOR CHEAPER CAR INSURANCE

1

2

3

4

5

Get on your parents’ policy

Good grades pay off

Driver experience

Drive an “insurance friendly” vehicle

Safety features and crash worthiness

It’s usually cheaper to add a teenager to your parents’ policy, rather than be insured separately. Most companies won’t charge an additional premi-um until the teen is a licensed driver. Parents need to inform their insurance agent or company that their teenager is being added to the policy.

Most insurers offer a discount, some as high as 25%, for students who maintain a B average.

Graduated Driver Licensing law requires teens to log 50 hours with an experienced driver, but taking a formal drivers training course will likely save on insurance. Many companies offer up to a 10% discount.

Cars that are a favorite target for thieves, are expensive to repair, or are considered “high performance” have much higher insurance costs. Before you buy a car, contact your insurer to get a quote on what it will cost to insure.

Don’t assume an old clunker is your best insurance bet. Newer makes and models are designed to be safer and discounts may be available if you have automatic seat belts and/or airbags.

Car insurance is a big bill to pay for teens, one that often turns them off to the idea of driving in general. This is true at LHS, where the idea of paying upwards of $50 per month for car insurance disgusts most teens.

12 The Lakewood TimesDriving The Lakewood Times

Gasoline prices have erupt-ed the wallets of many people across the city of Lakewood. With gas prices on the rise, ve-hicles are becoming more and more difficult to power up, espe-cially for teens.

“My parents offer to pay for gas sometimes, but when they don’t, the money has to come out of my pay check,” said se-nior, Paige Morana.

According to the Energy In-formation Administration (EIA), the average U.S. Retail price for gasoline rose the first week of April by 8.7 cents from the prior week, to an average of $3.737 per gallon.

“I only drive when I absolutely have to,” said senior, Taylor Birth. “The gas prices are such a stress and barely fill up my tank, even when I have the money.”

In the frigid

month of December 2008, as the recession was beginning, gas prices were at a low of $1.67, according to the EIA. Two years later in the beginning month of December 2010, the average price of gas was above $3.00. That’s an estimated $1.33 in-crease in just two years. “I don’t even like to use my car anymore because I can’t afford the price [of gas],” said Birth.

Although prices in Ohio have not reached the all time high of $4.062 dollars (like in July of 2008), crude oil has seen costs raise nearly 72.1 cents from a year ago. Also, oil has become 45.7 cents per gallon higher than the monthly average of February 2011.

The EIA reported in January of 2011 the National average retail price of diesel edged higher by mere two-tenths of cent, to $3.333.

“I have a 1998 Buick. I can’t even imagine what it would cost to fill up something like a semi-truck,” said Morana.

With the general size tank of a semi-truck being around 125 gal-lons, and with diesel fuel costing nearly $3.87 a gallon since the start of April, the total cost to fill up a tank would be roughly $483 and some change.

On the flip side, living in north-east Ohio does have an advan-

tage for those who are familiar with Giant Eagle’s fuel perks.

The fuel perks program al-lows Giant Eagle shoppers to get a certain amount off their gas price per gallon for the amount of money spent at the

store. If a Giant Eagle customer spends $50, they are able to get 10 cents off per gallon when they fill up their tank at a Giant Eagle Get-Go gas station. “My mom has fuel perks,” said Birth. “We don’t usually buy that many gro-ceries though so it takes a while for [the fuel perks] to build up to a reasonable price off.”

Although it may sound like Gi-ant Eagle is trying to help out the community, it would take about

$2,000 worth of groceries to fill up a tank with prices nearing $4 a gallon. Well...who’s hungry?

Problems with prices at thepumpBy Sam Cross

Highest gas prices in America

1. Hawaii - $4.422. California - $.4.303. Illinois - $4.26

4. Alaska - $4.12 25. Ohio - $3.87

Source: gasbuddy.com

The Lakewood Times April 2011 13

Remember the Hollywood vision of the coolest guy in school pulling up in the red convertible, with countless pretty tweens rid-ing dangerously on the back seat? Well if you grew up watching “Saved By the Bell,” or swooned over Freddie Prince Junior in “She’s All That”, this stereotype seemed very real, and very impossible to have.

When facing the facts, having a beautiful dream car is very unlikely, very laughable, and frankly never happens. Kids today not only can’t afford the luxury convertible, but don’t want to. “I wouldn’t want to spend money on such expensive things that aren’t essential,” said senior Bob Zimmermann, “I have trouble as a teenager having enough money for things like food and other things I really need.”

As with any other product on the market today, people have always been after the nicest and newest model. And as the prod-ucts keep getting nicer, they keep becom-ing more and more affordable for the middle class.

Originally, cars were something only the rich and powerful could have, and certainly no teenager could ever afford one. Well, they

said the same thing about computers, and now eight-year olds are placing iPads at the top of the Christmas list.

“When I see 17 or 18 year-olds with beau-tiful cars, I always think they’re spoiled. They don’t deserve the nice cars that they’re giv-en,” says Senior Matt Gibson.

With every new product that explodes on the scene today, its ap-peal fades over time. Younger people can have the objects for less as they be-comes more and more normal in our every day lives.

“I have to work for everything that I have,” said Junior Jamil Thomas, “It makes me really envious of kids that have these nice cars handed to them.”

Some teenagers have realized it isn’t worth it to have the beautiful gleaming car, when they can take the more affordable road instead.

The fad of the cool car is dying An opinion by Wilson Sackett

Art by Casey Miller

14 The Lakewood TimesSpending The Lakewood Times

he five dollars in the lunch line, the eight bucks for a movie ticket. These are the things teens were used to spending their money on

regularly. But things have changed. Now, in an economy where many are forced to tight-en their belts, even teens are rethinking the way they spend their cash.

“I’m not the best with my money,” said senior Danielle Lesko, who has a summer job at the Cleveland Yaht Club, but does not work during the year.

Lesko is like many teens who have had to face new realities when it comes to spending their money. As the cost for favorite activi-ties is rising, participation in these activities is decreasing.

“When I waste my money it’s on food and movies, but over the past year things have gotten more expensive,” said Lesko, whose habits have changed. “I spend much less now.”

Many teens feel guilty when paying for un-necessary items, but the reward of an active social life usually wins over an empty wallet.

“I feel guilty spending money when my ac-count’s really low and I go to a movie. Af-ter, I think ‘that probably was not the best idea,’” said Lesko. “But I don’t want to stay at home and do nothing while everyone else goes out.”

Spending money to keep up with friends is becoming harder for most teens. For ju-nior Mary Wingle, spending a free night in, instead of spending money while going out, is normal.

“I don’t really go out that often, and when I do either my mom gives me ten dollars or someone else pays for it, [usually] my boy-friend,” said Wingle. “I had to learn how to get by without money.”

Wingle doesn’t receive a regular allowance except for “a few dollars for lunch.” Although she’s worked for Safety Town for three years during the summer, finding a job year round proves difficult. Wingle says her social life has been greatly defined by a lack of income.

“My friends are always going out to eat, and I don’t have the money to go with them,” said Wingle. “I have fun without spending, but sometimes I feel out of the loop because I can’t go out.”

Wingle does admit that when she has money, she splurges.

“I kind of go crazy in the summer, while I’m working. I never have money, so once I have it I think ‘okay, what can I do with it?’”

Wingle isn’t alone. According to a survey by the Stanford University School of Medicine, 5.8 percent of the U.S. population—about 17 million people—are compulsive shoppers. The recession has only fueled this need for impulsive shopping, because so many have lost the opportunity to spend regularly.

Although Wingle doesn’t consider herself a compulsive shopper, she admits at times, having the tendencies of one. “I get money and I want to spend it,” she says.

It seems the silver lining of the recession might lie in the old idea of saving. Though teens on average spend about $74 a week, 68% have a savings account, and the num-

ber is growing, according to the NAA Busi-ness Analysis & Research Department.

“I try to save as much money as I can,” said senior Clay Verga, who works at Angelo’s. Verga thinks that the key to being successful in the economy is to “spend conservatively and save aggressively.”

Lesko who “tried to save my money long term, but it didn’t work out,” now plans on saving half her future paychecks to go to-wards college spending. “You really have to manage your money. Choose between what you want to spend it on, go out or spending, and save the rest.”

Though there’s no easy solution to change the way teens spend money, Wingle feels simply changing one’s attitude can prove powerful.

“I’ve learned that when I have money, it’s a gift,” she says. “I just wish more people could see it that way.”

Money: now and then

T

The recession’s effect on how teens spend -- and what changes they’ve made

By Deven Middleton

Money being spent, instead of being saved. Photo by Deven Middleton.

The Lakewood Times April 2011 15

Ch-ch-changes1961 201113 cents

12 oz Coca-Cola

$1.50

Hershey’s Bar

5 cents $1.00

McDonald’s Cheeseburger

35 cents $1.00

Volkswagon Beetle

$1,565 $18,690

Music Album

$3.95 $9.99(vinyl) (iTunes)

Source: 1960sflashback.com

Ever wondered what your grandparents paid for their everday items?

What the what?Making “cents” of money termsCapital: All buildings, equipment, tools and human

skills needed to create a product and provide serviceInflation: a sustained and general increase in the

general price levelInterest Rates: The price paid for borrowing money

for a period of timeStandard of Living: a minimum of necessities, com-

forts or luxuries held essential to maintaining a person or group

Economic Wants: Desires that can be satisfied by consuming a good or service, ranging from things for survival to things that are luxury.

Credit: The use of someone else’s funds in ex-change for a promise to pay at a later date

Recession: An economic slowdown, in terms of em-ployment, investment spending, Gross Domestic Prod-cut (GDP), incomes and business profits.

16 The Lakewood TimesSpending The Lakewood Times

When you live in a town that has a fast food joint on every corner of every street, you pretty much only have two options. Eat or get out of town. But what about the kids that are too busy (or too lazy) to get a job to pay for all of these restaurants, or to get their license? Well in these hard economic times, there is no shame in mooching, so long as you have to know how.

Food is harder to mooch now than it was back in elementary school. Back then all you had to do was say “I bet you I could fit that whole piece of pizza in my mouth” and then they would say “Nuh huh!” and give it to you. Whether or not you actually could is insignificant, because you get the pizza anyway.

But, now that you are older (and hopefully wiser), try a little trick I call inception. When in a large group, suggest to one per-son how much you would like Chipotle or Subway right now. Then they will start to think about it and suggest it to the group. When the group goes, stand next to a friend that you did not originally suggest the eatery to, and you make a sad puppy-face as they are ordering the food. But, DO NOT overdo the sad puppy-face.

If you hear the words “Aren’t you getting anything?” then you know you are about to be fed. Respond with a very matter-of-fact “I don’t have any money.” If this person is nice they will al-most definitely pay for you.

Rides can be a little trickier than food because it requires some planning ahead. If you have friends that you can call and flat out ask them for a ride, then more power to you. But, if you don’t, it can be awkward try-ing to snag a ride because most people don’t want to give one.

So the key is to plan ahead. The person the plans were made with will call at the time of said plans in order to confirm. This person will provide a ride if they are truly committed to the plans.

If quicknote, homework or pretty much anything is needed, then the lunchroom is your ha-ven. There is bound to be some-one in the same class, or some-one that has that class another period.

Usually, no one has any prob-lems with letting you see their notes for the period, but there is always someone who has to be difficult. There is a trick called the ‘one thing’ trick. You simply say to the person “I only need to copy one thing.” Say this even if

Matt’s guide to mooching An opinion by Matt Majewski

you have to copy four pages of notes. No one minds if you need to copy one thing.

In conclusion, the puppy dog face only works if you make the person think that giving you some-thing was their idea. Don’t over-apologize for mooching (it’s an-noying,) and never mooch too much. A good mooch is never called a mooch.

wBy: Juan Amador

Teens today’s are helpless. Many are struggling to find a job and those with jobs know better than to “mess up” in fear of los-ing their job. So, who do these teens look to for daily survival? Their parents.

When teens are low on cash they turn to their parents. It’s easier to get money from parents than one might think.

Remember, just b e c a u s e one parent doesn’t have mon-ey, doesn’t mean another one doesn’t.

These tips come from personal experience. This is a log of my money milking over spring break. While the money was given to me partly because I kept up with my chores, skill had a lot to do with it.

Day 1: Old Friends Day 2: Dinner Day 3: Shopping

$10Going to see old friends

is a great way to get money from parents. The situation and plans being executed are what your amount of money is go-ing to be based on. I got $10.00.

Art by: Matt Majewski

$15Hunger is a great way to

getting a couple bucks from your parents. Going out to dinner is a good way to ask for money. Where you go to eat determines the amount of money you’ll get. I asked for $20.00, but got $15.00.

$20Going shopping is a teen

must, especially at the mall. There are lots of things that attract teens at large shop-ping centers. Clothes, elec-tronics, shoes and so much more. I got $20.00.

The Lakewood Times April 2011 17

wDay 3: Shopping Day 4: Have friends

over.Day 5: Loan your friend money.

Day 6: Expensive Fun Day 7: Compromise

$20Going shopping is a teen

must, especially at the mall. There are lots of things that attract teens at large shop-ping centers. Clothes, elec-tronics, shoes and so much more. I got $20.00.

$10Inviting your friends over is a

good way to get money from your parents as well. Eventual-ly you will get bored with being in your house and want to leave -- opening the door to asking for money. I got $10.00.

$20Loaning money to your friends

from the money your parents loaned you is a great way to pick up a few extra bucks down the road. A great circumstance would be going out to dinner and offering to paying for a friend. I did this and had $20.00 to do so.

$25There’s lots of exciting things

to do over a school break. It just so happens that the IX Indoor Amusement Park is in town. Ev-erything is over priced and games are a must. I got $25.00. $5

Sometimes you just have to compromise. When you want to do something and your parents don’t have enough money, you need to take what you can get and do something that costs less money. I asked for $10.00, and I got $5.00.

By: Juan Amador

“[My kids] don’t really get a weekly allowance,” said English teacher Barb Comienski, mother of triplets Matthew, Mark, and Bethany. The triplets are 14 and a half and are in the eighth grade.

“The amount of money [they spend] varies depending on the activities the triplets participate in,” said Comienski.

The boys are involved in many extracurricular activities and share golf as a common hobby. They also run track, have a high rank in Boy Scouts, and play soccer year round.

“The boys have been on up to three teams simultaneously,” said Comienski. Mark is also in choir, which is an extra expense. But Matthew is in Jazz Band and he also wrestles. “It’s some ex-pense, but not outrageous,” said Comienski.

Bethany plays violin in orches-tra and takes eight dance class-es at the Beck Center.

Comienski said, “I’m okay with the expenses of their extra-cur-ricular activities. It’s money bet-ter spent than buying junk at the mall or seeing every movie that comes out.”

The extra-curriculars are also providing great things. The boys get to spend time with their dad while Comienski drives Bethany to and from her classes.

Comienski also feels that her kids “don’t realize how lucky they are. They do so much, like soc-cer and dancing.”

The Comienski triplets don’t have a job with which they might be able to pay for their own ex-penses. “They’re nagged to do jobs around the house to com-pensate for their actions,” said Comienski. The chores would

Photo by Juan Amador

include things like taking out the trash, setting the table, keep their room clean, etc.

Over spring break, the triplets spent $50.00 total. Matthew and Mark went backpacking and got by on $10.00 each. Though the ten dollars doesn’t include the cost of camp food, it would be the same as Comienski feeding them at home. Bethany spent $30.00 when she went to the mall twice and the movies.

How Mrs.C.seesit

The Lakewood Times18 Spending The Lakewood Times

No one brags about what label they’re wearing anymore. As the popularity of chain stores grows, students are becoming thriftier with their shopping. The NAA Business Analysis and Research Department said, “Teens are bargain hunters, three out of four teenagers tell NPD they shop at retailers that have the lowest prices and 73 percent say they look for sales.”

Teens often feel that the reces-sion doesn’t have a direct affect on them, but the prices of luxury clothing hasn’t gone down. So, teens are turning to discount stores for their clothing needs. According to the New York Daily News website, “clothing prices are expected to rise about 10% in coming months.”

Outlet stores are great places to find top designer clothing for lower prices. At Marshall’s and TJMaxx, their handbag depart-ments are full of well-known brands and designers. Also they have an amazing clearance aisle. The best bags are chic, with cool accents, but don’t have a fancy label splashed all over it, obvi-ously trying to show off.

In middle school everything was about the label. People bought t-shirts simply for the Abercrombie moose or the Hol-lister bird. Everyone was trying their best to blend in and be the same. These stores offered expensive clothing that lacked individuality and style. When students got to high school the value of money and how to save became more important than that stupid moose.

Teens now rely on their own jobs for money or their parents aren’t willing to fork over as much

when they have to worry about future tuitions. According to the NAA Business Analysis and Research Department, 58% of teens obtain money from their parents as a source of income. The recession is making parents want to spend less on impracti-cal clothing for their kids.

Teens should realize that they can look just as good in clothes from Target, instead of spending twice as much at Nordstrom.

It is now considered an ac-complishment to find an item that was originally $50, but only cost $20 on sale.

Value World has become a scavenger hunt for cheap items. Students go to the store for silly clothing but sometimes come out with quality things. The popular grandpa sweaters or no hooded sweatshirts are found for prices as low as a $1.

A great way to get what you want without paying high pric-es is “watching” an item. This means that you spot something you want and you visit that store occasionally for about a month. You keep an eye on the piece and make sure there are still many of them left. After about a month the item will go on sale and you can then get it for the lowest price. Chain stores often restock their items, so at inter-vals, the clothing goes on sale.

The sale rack is where you can find clothes that aren’t even out of season yet. Sale shop-ping requires patience but the money you save is worth it.

The key to looking polished without spending a fortune ev-ery season is to only buy higher priced items that will be your

Saving with style

“staple.” The staples are articles of clothing that will be in a con-stant rotation in your wardrobe. A cardigan, black shoes, a plain dress, a scarf and a long neck-lace are few examples. They can be worked into every outfit and you will get your money’s worth out of them.

In order to stay up to date with fashion, buy the trendier items for cheap. Things that are seasonal and are for a specific time period, such as a statement dress or a chunky bracelet, can be bought for cheap. These are the things that should be bought from bargain stores and can have a lesser quality because they won’t be worn as often. Also you should never pay full price for accessories. Forever 21 has the best selection of styl-ish jewelry for cheap. Target also has a great jewelry depart-ment. Every few months almost all the earrings go on sale. You can find the best dangly, large earrings for less than half of their

original price. The fashion industry knows

the economy is in a rough place. With all the changes on how we shop, the fashion industry is tak-ing notice by making clothing more affordable for this group of consumers. The NAA reports teens ages 16 to 17 possessing nearly $4,500 in discretionary in-come often use their money to buy their own clothing, entertain-ment and music. The teen mar-ket is always growing.

The industry is realizing that people aren’t ashamed to buy clothes for less. People want the designer items and much lower costs to fit their lifestyle. Clothing lines at chain stores feature some of the top design-ers’ collections at affordable prices. You can now buy cloth-ing such as, Lanvin, Sonia Rykeil and Rodarte, all of which can be found on a runway, at your local stores.

A fashion opinion by Grace Coy

Art by Casey Miller

The Lakewood TimesThe Lakewood Times April 2011 19Spending

In 1961, the average movie ticket price was 69 cents. In 1980, a single scoop ice cream cone cost 10 cents. Obviously, times are different.

There are 25.6 million teens in the US and the teen market is spending more than ever. This year, the teen market is spending $208.7 billion nationwide.(marketingcharts.com)

Without money, teens are restricted on the activities they can choose from. Senior Em-malee Rinehart is the perfect example of a teenager confined by her bank account.

“Many times, my friends go out to eat or to see a movie and I can’t go because I just can’t afford it,” she said.

Rinehart must decline many opportunities with friends because she doesn’t have the cash to participate.

“I want to be able to go wherever I like to dinner or the mall but I usually don’t even have cash to get some gas to make it there,” she said.

In a time when many people struggle with

Money-less, what to do?

By Meredith Richards

Fun sports like croquet, beach,

volleyball

Friday Night Flicks in the summer at

Lakewood Park

Bike rides

Library

Gardening

Free concerts in Sinagra Park

Baking night with friends

Free museums such as the Art

Museum

Card night

Board game night

their money, teens’ tastes seem to be getting more and more expensive. Teenagers used to be able to enjoy free activities, such as a walk in the park or a board game night. Now, these activities are often seen as dated and less than entertaining when compared to going shopping or eating out.

Consumerism has found a home within the teenage population. According to ABC News, teens spent over $170 billion in 2010 on clothes, electronics, food, etc. When you don’t have money to spend you’re left out of this “spending club.” This has probably led to more and more kids being left home on a Saturday night. Without money, teens simply cannot keep up with their friends.

Many teens have jobs but still find it difficult to save the money that they need to have fun.

“Of course I’m so tempted to spend the money that I earn. I want to go out and I want to buy new clothes and when you have like

$60 you’re like ‘oh it’s okay I’ll still have like $45. [But before you know it,] you’re down to $10,” said Rinehart.

No doubt, many teens are feeling the effects of our economy. “Once I actually fill my gas tank and pay for things I really need, there’s nothing left over to have fun with,” said Rinehart.

Even those teens that have either bought or received a car say they cannot use their car as much because of rising gas prices.

Teens must adjust to their situation in order to have a good time, while staying within their means.

“I really like simply just hanging out at someone’s house or going to a party. It’s free! Like last weekend when I had friends over and we played ‘Just Dance,’ I laughed way too hard,” said Rinehart. “Most people find that boring though.”

Students find ways to have fun without breaking the bank.

Art by Casey Miller

The Lakewood Times20 Spending The Lakewood Times

“Nothing in this world is free.” Though, to some, this cliché isn’t necessarily the case.

More and more teenagers in recent years have acquired a credit card. According to a survey conducted by Charles Schwab, 12% of teens spend money with their parent’s cred-it card, and 8% of teens spend money using their own credit card. Even though teens have a card in their own name, the percent of those cards being paid by the parents is unknown.

This same survey said 45% of teens know how to use a credit card. This could be dan-gerous knowledge, because only 26% of teens know how credit card fees and interests work and only 24% say they have learned from their parents or school how to use a credit card responsibly. Without this knowl-edge, teens could be set up for a lifetime of debt and problems with money management.

“I’ve had a credit card since Christmas of my freshman year,” said senior Missy Rich-ardson. “My mom hated taking me to the mall because she would have to sit there while I looked at clothes so she thought having a credit card would be easier.”

Richardson’s parents pay the credit card bill, though she has recently got-ten a job. Richardson does have restric-tions on the card. “My mom goes over the monthly bills and if she sees an expensive charge, she’ll question what I bought.”

Senior Bob Zimmermann also uses a credit card. “I use my credit card about once a month, “ said Zimmermann.

He does not rely on his credit card ev-ery time he needs to make a purchase.

“I can only buy things that my parents have approved of beforehand.”

Zimmermann doesn’t find anything wrong with using a credit card his parents pay for. “Having a credit card isn’t as much right or wrong as it is just a fact.”

Some teens use their parent’s credit card for their personal expenses, such as senior Taylor Birth. “I use my mom’s credit card a couple of times a sea-son to buy clothes for myself,” she said.

There are many positive and negative attributes to having such a “tool.” “If I go shopping and plan to spend a lot of mon-ey, it’s easier than carrying cash,” Richard-son said, “It can add up easily though.”

Zimmermann is careful about his pur-chases. “You can risk abusing it and los-ing it,” he said. Even though there are many risks, 29% of teens would still rath-er use a credit card than pay with cash.

Virtual money is easier to spend and

Be careful taking credit

A credit card ready to be used. Photo by Meredith Richards

By Meredith Richards

less guilt is felt. “There’s no downside be-cause I don’t pay the bill,” said Birth.

Teenagers are spending more than ever. The average teenager spends a minimum of $19 a week according to Schwab’s sur-vey. Clothes, food, and electronics are just a few of the items that their own or their par-ents’ money goes toward. Three quarters of teens have a cell phone and 60% own an iPod. Having a credit card may either aid this spending or help keep it under the control of a parent’s watchful eye. Nonethe-less, credit cards are finding their way eas-ily and comfortably in teenager’s wallets.

Forty-minute classes, bad cafeteria food and massive amounts of homework all cre-ate an exasperatingly long day. But on top of the headaches and stress a high school student faces daily, money adds yet another couple pounds on a teenager’s shoulder.

“Ten years ago, the United States was ranked number one in average wealth per adult, but in 2010, the United States has fallen to seventh,” said author of www.cross-ingwallstreet.com, Eddy Elfenbein.

The economy is getting worse and worse everyday. The problem is, it no longer affects just the adult figures, but it is catching up to students still in college and high school.

Each day that passes, some kind of com-plaint is heard from a friend or a parent, such as “the gas prices got higher” or “it’s so hard to find a job.”

Recently, schooling has gotten a big punch in the gut from the government and

poor economy. Teachers are getting laid off from jobs and being forced to take the mediocre, low-paying jobs that high school and college students compete for everyday. Colleges have gone from being affordable to expensive. According to the National Cen-ter for Education, the average annual tuition (plus expenses) at a private nonprofit four-year college is about $35,000 a year.

Although LHS is one of the least expen-sive high schools in the area, teens are now forced to pay more student fees in order to take common classes like art and cooking, and the students who can’t afford to pay an extra $26 for a class that they’d like to take have to settle for something else in order to get that the credit needed to graduate.

The little things, like lunch prices, in this economy seem to make the biggest differ-ence on students and their families. A slice of pizza, which was once $2.00, is now

$2.50. “The Gatorades definitly got smaller for the

same price of $1.50,” said senior Erin Thor-pe.

The cost of student school sports for Lake-wood High School is one of the lowest in the area at $75, not including the extra money they pay for team t-shirts, sweatshirts, sweat-pants, etc. But compared to Westlake and Rocky River High schools who don’t have a pay-to-play, Lakewood is higher. Senior Peg-gy Sue Johnson said, “I spend most of the money I make at work on sports, clubs like ski club, my general school fees, and school events like dances and field trips.”

On CBS’S 60 minutes on Sunday, President Barack Obama said, “I do get discouraged, I mean, there are times where I thought the economy would have gotten better by now.”

What’s the price of being an LHS studentAn opinion by Naseem Shean

The Lakewood TimesThe Lakewood Times April 2011 21Spending

Teen budgets: the rich and the desperate

A few bucks here and there, to 300 dollars every month for car payments, Vini Hajdari goes from from flippin’ burgers to spending his paychecks. Hajdari is a crew member at McDonalds and ab-solutely hates his job. With only

flowers, getting new shoes, and a fresh hair cut. Hajdari will be making an entrance to prom in his Mercedes.

He’s attending his first two years at Tri-C for free and pos-sibly switching over to Cleveland State University. He would like to study network engineering, along with saving his money for a laptop for school.

“Always save a little bit of money because you never know what’s going to happen next. Life is unexpected,” said Hajdari.

Money saving tips

-Never carry money in your wallet.

-Always save money because life is unexpected

-Spend your money wisely on purchases you’ll still want in the future

-Think before you buy

By Tori Chesmar and Juan Amador

Junior Kaitlyn Parrigan is ready to take any job she can get.

Parrigan said “I’ve seriously applied for every job out there, even McDonalds. You know the economy is bad when you can’t even get a job at Mc-Donalds.”

Parrigan currently gets mon-ey from her parents but says, “I want a job not only to [avoid] asking for money from my par-ents, but to keep me busy.”

Parrigan currently gets about 50 dollars from her par-ents in a two week period. “I make my money last when I have it. I spend little amounts at a time so I don’t spend it all at once” she said.

Parrigan is saving for col-lege with what little money she gets from babysitting but she said, “I want to take on a real part-time job to start saving for a car.”

Parrigan has applied to Penn Station, McDonald’s, Subway and Burger King. She said, “I’ve applied multiple times to all, but I get the usual ‘We’ll give you a call’ when they look at or even decide to look at my application.”

Katie Wurstner a junior at LHS said she is, “completely frustrated with today’s work-force.”

“I’ve applied just about ev-erywhere. Wendy’s, McDon-alds, Subway, Burger King, even places at the mall” said Wurstner. “They tell me they’ll look at it and call me.”

Wendy’s was one of the only places to give Wurstner a call back. “I got an interview but was never called back in for a follow-up when I was told I

was going to be called back. I don’t know what happened,” said Wurstner.

Wurstner said, “Finding a job these days is hard. We teens are competing with un-employed adults who have experience and we’re just trying to get that work experi-ence.”

“I’ve been looking for a job since the day I turned 16 last year and cannot find anyone willing to hire me” said Wurst-ner.

Wurstner averages about 60 dollars over a two-week period from her parents. “My money pays mostly for food, drinks and sometimes gas. I may not have my own car, but gas isn’t cheap and I have no problem giving my friend a couple of bucks for gas when needed.”

three days of work and a total of twenty four hours in a week, he definitely spends his money quickly.

His first big purchase was his 2004 Mercedes Benz. With a great car like that, it took him

over a year to pay off the car pay-ments with the help of his par-ents, too. It took him two days to negotiate the purchase of the Mercedes at the car dealership. Every two weeks his fancy car takes about fifty dollars to fill up the tank. Hajdari drives his Benz from work to school and friends’ houses.

Nick Hudson, a friend, said, “It’s a nice, smooth car. It looks nice and it helps you get the la-dies.”

Hajdari spent over 300 dollars a month for his car payments. Now he usually spends his mon-ey on Chipotle, clothes and little gifts for his girl friend.

“Girlfriends are really expen-sive. It’s always dinner, movies and little gifts,” he said.

Since senior year is almost over and college is near, Haj-dari started saving his money for school a while ago. His only issue is money for prom. The tickets this year are 45 dollars along with renting a tux, buying

Senior Vini Hajdari leans up against his Benz. Photo by Tori Chesmar

22 The Lakewood TimesCollege The Lakewood Times

The search for the perfect college usually starts with a series of questions.

Where do I want to go? What do I want to major in? How many loans will I need?

While all of these questions can be over-whelming, there is yet another decision stu-dents must make: choosing between a com-munity college or a university.

Because of the monetary advantage, more and more students are choosing to go to a community college for their prerequisites and then transfer to a university for their degree.

According to the College Board, the aver-age cost for a full year of tuition and fees at a community college is just $2,360, compared to $6,185 at a public, four-year University and $23,712 at a private, four-year University.

Going to a community college is a great idea. It gives a student the chance to take

An opinion by Julia Houska

Community college: is it for you?their prerequisites and define their major. Some students may use this time to adjust to the college workload.

Going to a four year university and not hav-ing a defined major can cost lots of money. “It’s closer to home (which is cheaper), and it smooths the transition from high school to college,” said senior Jesse Weidlich.

Community college is also a great way to boost your GPA. If you weren’t the best stu-dent in high school, community college can help you get into a 4-year university. It’s open to everyone, regardless of your past aca-demic career.

Community college is also a great place for those with jobs or other personal responsibil-ities, as most have very flexible class sched-ules, offering classes at all times of the day.

The class sizes are smaller, the cost is

lower, and the experience can help you figure out your path.

Students should educate themselves to this possibility and consider the great oppor-tunities community college can provide.

Average job salaries

Teacher (Elementary): $ 47,599

Physician (general): $ 144,435

Program Manager: $122,592Electrical Engineer: $ 54,966Instrument Technician: $ 41,765

Attorney: $ 82,563

Pharmacist: $100,015

Project Administrator: $48,376

Programmer: $ 51,724

Desig

ner:

$ 43

,452

Archite

ct: $56,637

Paralegal: $ 42,349

Psychologist: $ 75,965

Dentist: $ 125,952

Physical Therapist $ 64,710

Registered Nurse: $ 58,575

Accountant: $ 40,011Biomedical Engineer: $56,421

By Naseem Shean

$

The Lakewood Times April 2011 23

Average job salaries

Teacher (Elementary): $ 47,599

Physician (general): $ 144,435

Program Manager: $122,592Electrical Engineer: $ 54,966Instrument Technician: $ 41,765

Attorney: $ 82,563

Pharmacist: $100,015

Project Administrator: $48,376

Programmer: $ 51,724

Desig

ner:

$ 43

,452

Archite

ct: $56,637

Paralegal: $ 42,349

Psychologist: $ 75,965

Dentist: $ 125,952

Physical Therapist $ 64,710

Registered Nurse: $ 58,575

Accountant: $ 40,011Biomedical Engineer: $56,421

By Naseem Shean

$

By Lindsey Mcentee

A Chipotle burrito, a skirt for Saturday night and an iPod.

While currently, these may be your big-gest financial concerns now, soon a majority of your money concerns will be about how you’re going to pay for college.

While this may seem like a daunting task, there are not only guidance counselors to help you choose the right college, but also Cleveland Scholarship Advisor Pam San-doval.

Sandoval takes on two major responsibili-ties. First and foremost, she is here to answer any questions a student may have when fill-ing out the FAFSA (Free Application for Fed-eral Student Aid). Anyone applying to any college fills out this form. It is the ticket to all federal, state and specific college aid that can be received. For more elite schools, San-doval can also help with the Profile, which is in addition to the FAFSA and involves more detailed questions about your family’s finan-cial situation.

She is also responsible for sending out the scholarship bulletin. There are several of these that she compiles periodically that include everything that comes through the guidance office regarding scholarships.

“Getting into the habit of checking all schol-arship opportunities at the beginning of each month, or even the beginning of each week, is a great way to make sure you do not miss

an opportunity or deadline,” said Sandoval.She says the number one question she

gets is, ‘is there an essay?’“I tend to see that if it’s $500 plus an essay,

students walk away. Every $500 adds up,” Sandoval said.

She strongly advises not to pass up these opportunities, especially if it’s a local scholar-ship that a student may have a good chance of being awarded.

The more popular scholarships are the local ones offered each year, such as the alumni, PTA, Lakewood teachers, Kiwanis and Rotary scholarships. These are good to watch out for, even starting as a junior.

Most students aren’t thinking about col-lege as juniors, let alone scholarships.

Sandoval suggests if you see a scholar-ship you may qualify for, even as a junior, to write down the name and time because most scholarships repeat from year to year so you’ll have a list ready when you begin to apply the following year.

The other great place to find scholarships is the college itself.

“When you’re going online to apply, simul-taneously check out the scholarships that are offered. These can be found in usually one of two places on a website, under ‘financial aid’ as well as under the individual departments for your major,” Sandoval said.

The financial work doesn’t end once you’ve

entered college. It’s extremely important to fill out the FAFSA from year to year and pay at-tention to the grades you need to receive to keep any renewable scholarships. “You have to be willing to keep the grades up and do whatever possible to get the higher educa-tion,” said Sandoval.

For students who don’t receive any aid or have any help from home, they can spend their first two years at Tri-C or Lorain County

Mrs. Sandoval

By Lindsey McEntee

Community College to save a significant amount of money.

Sandoval feels that this shows true deter-mination to get any education possible.

Sandoval, along with Guidance Secretary Debra Diamond, have worked hard to make scholarship pamphlets, transcript and re-lease forms, as well as other helpful material easily accessible to download on the guid-ance web page.

This year, Sandoval is available to meet with students on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays in room A208.

aids studentsPhoto by Julia Houska

24 The Lakewood Timesnews The Lakewood Times

It’s hard when reality hits people. For most seniors, this isn’t un-common, especially when it’s time to choose a college to attend.

Most people struggle with accepting the fact that they might not be able to go to their dream college. While the reasons are numer-ous, ranging from a low GPA to financial problems, the emotional reaction is almost always frustration.

Senior Nichole Dashiell felt, and continues to feel, this frustration as she pursues her college search. “My original dream school was George Washington University. It’s in the middle of DC, which is where I wanted to go to school,” said senior, Nicole Dashiell. “I really liked a lot of the nine schools I applied to, though.”

The schools weren’t the problem though. “I just didn’t want to be unhappy when I had to make my final decision.”

Dashiell plans on attending Ohio State University next fall, although decisions aren’t final. It isn’t exactly her dream school, but she says she’d be perfectly content with attending.

“I know I can get a quality education at OSU, and I really love it there. There is no reason to spend everything I have on under grad when I still have to go to grad school.”

Dashiell is in the honors program at LHS, so grades weren’t an issue. Eight of the nine schools she applied to were private. Despite there being scholarship opportunities, the price for out of state col-leges and private colleges is still high.

Senior Luke Fesko is dealing with some of the same issues. He too was accepted into his dream school, George Washington Uni-versity, just like Dashiell.

By Lily Pollack

When dreams“I still am undecided on what school I plan to attend, but if I do not

attend George Washington it will strictly be a monetary reason. The school is one of the most expensive in the world,” said Fesko. He is also considering American University and Ohio State University.

There will always be financial aid, and nearly three quarters of full time undergraduate students receive aid in the form of loans, schol-arships, work studies and grants, according to the College Board website. Of the financial aid, 45% is in the form of loans.

“Be realistic about your family’s monetary capabilities and schol-arships received - you don’t want to enter the world after college with a huge debt on your shoulders,” said Fesko.

The average graduate student debt has increased over 50% in the last decade, according to the Project on Student Debt, a non-profit advocacy group.

“Search for any college your heart desires, but know what you are looking for,” said Fesko. “A certain program, a certain location, a certain student body, and so on.”

But despite the fact that maybe attending a dream school is out of reach, high school is still significant in helping reach something more attainable.

“Don’t think that just because you can’t get into your dream school, you shouldn’t work hard in high school,” said Dashiell. “Most importantly, it trains you for college and for life, which is really important.”

are dashed by reality

Art by Matt Majewski

The Lakewood Times April 2011 25

2.3.4.5.6.7.8.9.

Obstetrician/gynecologists $204,470

Psychiatrist $191,337

Surgeon $181,850

CEO’S $140,880

Finance Managers $113,730

Physicist $111,250

Engineering $108,020

Computer Science $105,370

Economics $96,320

1.

College preparation plays an integral role in the high school experience. While the economy is on a downward slant, students might consider future scholastic plans in or-der to prepare for occupations more readily available. This way they can be more successful at the time of college graduation.

Money has become a main staple in students final decisions on what college to attend, as well as majors, according the CNN Money website. Not only are students paying attention to what college costs, but what they will make with their degree.

“I love science. The idea that I could help people make their lives better is an attractive [quality] to me,” said junior Diana Hanson, who wants to pursue medicine. According to Hanson, an average doctor makes “well into the 6-figure range,” but “it really depends on the type of doctor and where they practice.”

According to PayScale’s website, doctors of various practices are at the top of the highest paying occupations in the U.S thus far in 2011.

“I’d rather get more for my [tuition] money,” said junior Zach Prebel, regarding the national average wage of doctors. Before freshman year career connections, Prebel was interested in “architecture, or civil engineering,” until he “realized [he] couldn’t draw. Now [he’s] “more interested in science than art,” as he said.

Some students think that interest in an occupation is far more im-portant than the financial security it may or may not bring to them.

“I’d rather have a job that I like with low pay than a job that I hate with a good salary,” said senior Cameron Olszewski, an aspiring vid-eo editor and storyboard artist, which will earn him an average of $50,000 a year. Olszewski doesn’t believe that a handsome salary ultimately leads to happiness. “I just want a job I love,” he said.

“I have dismissed a career because of its average salary, but I don’t think that I have searched one out because of it (salary),” said Hanson. “[Those careers] didn’t fit me,” she said, “more so than the monetary aspect.”

By Gwen Stephen

Does money = happiness?

The Lakewood Times26 Jobs The Lakewood Times

Job Bulletin:Unemployment is not the end

Whether it’s serving pizza at Dewie’s or

running a farm stand during the summer,

teens are always looking for a new way to

earn some extra cash. Over the past several

years, however, the percentage of teenagers

employed has significantly decreased.

In the summer of 2010, teenagers looking

for jobs found themselves battling the weak-

est job market, historically, since 1949.

“If gasoline prices continue to rise, typi-

cal private-sector teen employers, such

as amusement parks, hotels and resorts,

landscapers and other businesses that suf-

fer when energy costs increase, could also

cut back seasonal hiring plans,” said John

A. Challenger, chief executive officer of Chal-

lenger, Gray & Christmas.

This increase in unemployment is not sim-

ply confined for the three months during the

summer. Andrew Sum, head of the Center for Labor

Market Studies at Northeastern University

and a nationally recognized expert on teen

employment, is amazed by the numbers.

“Proportionally, more kids have lost jobs

in the past few years than the entire country

lost in the Great Depression,” he says.

According to a study done by Sum and

Joseph McLaughlin from Center for Labor

Market Studies at Northeastern University

in January 2010, the percentage of unem-

ployment for teens between 2007-2009 was

-24.8%, compared to -18.75 for all workers

during the recession between 1929-1933.

The total civilian employment has declined

by 80,877 million individuals, the largest of

its kind after World War 11

According to McLaughlin and Sum’s study,

“A job stimulus program for teens is needed

that will create jobs for youth in the public

and nonprofit sectors and provide economic

incentives through wage subsidies for private

for-profit employers to hire teens. The pro-

posed youth job creation programs would

provide both year-round and summer jobs

and not be confined to low income youth.”

Alyssia Ocejo, a senior feels many teens

aren’t given the jobs they apply for because

they lack experience. “But how can you get

experience if no one gives you a job,” she

says.Ocejo, a senior works two jobs, one at

Dewie’s pizza in Lakewood and one at the

Boneyard in Rocky River. She has been

working at Dewie’s pizza for the past year,

during which she tried to look for a second

job. “I literally applied everywhere and it took

that year to find a second job.”

While teenagers’ (16-19 year old) employ-

ment has declined by 24.8, the employment

for young adults (20-24) declined by 10.7%

between 2007 and 2009. As the age group

increases, the percentage of unemployment

decreases.

Still, there are many teenagers who do

have jobs and are excelling in their work. One

such student is senior Ernie Stephens. In

fact, Stephens has two jobs. One of his jobs

is at Chipotle (where he earns $8.25/hour)

and one at Arby’s (where he makes $7.40/

hour). While he works 50 to 60 hours per

week, he still doesn’t allow his job to affect

his school work, because both are necessary

for his future endeavors. Stephens says that

while he uses the money he earns for daily

expenses, he tries to save as much as he

can for college.

Stephens interviewed for both positions. In

preparation, he went over possible questions

that he might be asked and what his answers

might be.While Stephens is able have the best of

both worlds, junior Tara Shay must sacrifice

cheerleading, something that she loves, for

her job at Lutheran Home as a dietitian. Her

job is to prepare the food and make sure the

diet’s accurate, and then deliver the food to

the residents. She got the job through the

West Shore Prostart Program.

While it may be difficult to face these con-

ditions, these teens can still do things to aid

their chances of being hired.

Challenger doesn’t say that there isn’t any

hope. However, he does advise the impor-

tance of beginning the job search early, and

keeping a steadfast determination.

By Fiza Shah

The Lakewood TimesThe Lakewood Times April 2011 27

Unemployment is not the end older workers,” said AARP job expert Deborah Russell. It

makes sense. Both age groups would generally be more

favored by their peers. An issue with adult workers is,

they may be overqualified for the position. Even in des-

perate times, an overqualified worker may feel disgrun-

tled and not be much use to a business. The issue with

teen workers is the issue that they lack basic work skills

and experience. One basic tip given to teenage workers is to remove

all piercings that are not basic earrings. No earrings for

guys. Its also recommended to hide all tattoos. Also, be

sure to dress as appropriately as possible. It is expected

that adults can work long after the summer. so counter

your lack of experience with extra curricular activities.

Adult workers will always have more experience, so

appearing charismatic and well put together in an inter-

view can even the playing field. In the end, companies

are used to hiring teenage workers for their summer posi-

tions and if teenage workers continue to work hard, they

can keep the jobs. There is just more competition now.

Did any of us ever expect to see the day when we

would have to compete with adults with college degrees

for the same entry-level summer jobs?

“We’ve definitely seen more adult applicants this year,”

said Six Flags amusement park spokeswomen Sandra

Daniels in a recent USA today article. Many employers

are using adult applicants to their advantage. Some

entry-level employers are now requiring all applicants to

have a college degree. Some employers feel that adult

workers require less training, which is cheaper for com-

panies. It is also generally considered that adult workers

have better time management skills and overall experi-

ence which could help them in the work place.

But not all is lost for the teenagers. Many consider

teenagers good in the work place because they add an

enthusiastic and youthful look to the company. Compa-

nies also look for teenagers who can use new technolo-

gies and social networking to expand their company and

business to others. However there are disadvantages to both sets of work-

ers. “Younger managers tend to be more biased against

By Andrew Oconnor

The Lakewood Times28

Final Word

Some readers may be confused why every article is about the same subject. When the staff of the Times was choosing our ‘Focus’ for this issue, the topic of the economy was raised and the ideas took off from there.

Some thought that the idea was not something that directly affected teens, but after further research we discovered oth-erwise. We felt a responsibility to write not just a few articles about the economy, but to devote an entire issue to exploring how it affects us all now and later.

Currently in the U.S., the percentage of teen unemployment is 25.9 percent, the highest rate since World War II. And it’s in-creasing steadily. The culprit for this high rate is the recession. Its victims are not just the wallets of teenagers, but the future workers of America.

A study out of Stanford University found that people who ex-perienced especially long periods of unemployment as youths were particularly prone to negative long-term effects on future wages and employment.

And research from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, found that unemployment for teens continues to adversely affect their earnings for as long as 10 years.

The lack of jobs for people ages 13-18 will continue to dis-able us well into adulthood. Not only will we be deprived of money, but of an “invisible curriculum” that comes from learn-ing how to report to a supervisor, show up on time, and work

with other people as a part of a team. We, as children of the recession, will not only be affected in-

dividually, but as a society. Living in a future world, jobs may be rare and “upper-middle class” could be a forgotten concept.

How exactly can we survive such a seemingly jobless job market?

We have to go back to basics. What we must do is make ourselves stand out as much as possible. In an age where most of us would rather sit on Facebook than volunteer, an attitude adjustment is in order. We must become more proac-tive, more hard working, and become the self-starters we were always encouraged to be. If we don’t begin working towards our fullest potential, we simply won’t work.

When work doesn’t come to you, make it for yourself. Start-ing your own business, whether it’s mowing yards or selling lemonade, is the way to gain experience and get your name out there. Developing independent early can only help one be more successful in the future.

Volunteering is an even better option to gain experiece in a job-like environment. When you can’t earn wages, volunteer-ing gives you the hours and the experience a job could offer. Besides helping to build your personal resume, volunteering obviously aids people in need. Not only are you helping your-self, but you’re helping society. And that’s work all future em-ployers will respect.

By Deven Middleton