May 27, 2008 By James Pletcher Jr. 3 min read

She’s a working girl now. Our young friend, Kendra, who we have watched grow from a new infant into a fine young lady, has joined the ranks of the employed.

Shortly before she turned 16 she took on a job at a local resort as a banquet server, working part-time, since she is still in school. Oh, she’s broken a few dishes but, for the most part, has found the job to be exciting, challenging and fun.

She also discovered there’s no greater satisfaction than cashing that first paycheck. She wants me to help her open a bank account so she can save some of her money to put towards buying her own car sometime in the future. Of course I’ll assist her in any way I can.

She’s a good kid. Level-headed doesn’t even begin to describe this girl. She is also a people person, able to chat with anyone as if she has known him or her all her life. Part of that comes naturally. Her mother has that quality. But she also picked it up from my lovely wife, who can talk to strangers as if they were long-time chums.

Another good quality is her sense of what’s right and what’s wrong. She has already chided some of her co-workers for spending too much time text-messaging their boyfriends while she struggled to get tables ready for a banquet. What’s fair is fair in her eyes and people are paid to work, not lollygag.

And, she’s also thinking about her future. “I can’t believe that in two years I’ll be out of high school,’ she told me. “It’s kind of scary,’ she added.

I agree. After 12 or 13 years of being nurtured and taught in the cocoon of a protective school system, suddenly you find yourself outside, wondering what happened. If you go on to college, you can stretch it out for four or more years. But sooner or later, you find yourself looking for work and when you find it, the three-month summer vacations, two weeks off at Christmas and safety of the citadel-like school system have vanished.

You also learn there are bills to pay, budgets to maintain and living within your means becomes extremely pertinent. You have to learn how to be self-sufficient and make your own way in the world. Schools don’t really prepare you for such things as shopping for groceries, getting your car repaired, fixing a leaky toilet, etc.

Parents generally handle that part of a child’s education. In fact, if it weren’t for my father, I’d have spent some pretty miserable times without heat, water or electricity in my home. When something didn’t work, I’d call and ask him what I should do. He’d come over, I’d watch, and learn how to repair something myself.

I think Kendra will do OK. She’s bright. She’s courageous, ready to step up and take charge when the need arises. And, while she speaks her mind she also has heart, feeling for and ready to defend the underdog in any situation.

So, our next trip will likely be to the bank to get her started on her financial journey. I can’t say she will have a lot of money to put into her first account. Of course my wife already told her I’d probably supplement her funds.

I have a feeling the word “subsidize’ is going to become part of my future vocabulary.

Well, she’s more than worth it.

Have a good day.

James Pletcher Jr. is Herald-Standard business editor. He can be reached at 724-439-7571 or by e-mail at jpletcher@heraldstandard.com.