When I arrived, I was greeted by an 11-year old boy and his little sisters. I've never seen any employee, anywhere, multitask like this kid...working with pickups, Uber drivers, phone calls, the register, and greeting customers keeping his little feet and hands moving in constant motion. He was like an octopus accomplishing the impossible, and I thought, "Hey, kid. I totally get it."
I never once saw any adults at work. This single employee was babysitting, wrapping food, running back and forth to the kitchen, taking orders, and managing people like he was the executive of his own franchise. I wanted to hand him a scholarship right then and there to our summer writing programs.
He simply helped me to think fondly of the out-of-school lives so many of our young people live, giving tirelessly to help their family and, I'm guessing, family business --- all hands in. The life skills are irreplaceable, and I know a kid deserves Friday's on video games and with soccer balls, but I didn't detect anything but joy for his hard work. I was finger snapping him every step of the way.
I wonder if he'd be willing to work with some of the teenagers I know in local schools. Shoot, I wonder if he's willing to do PD for adults, too.