It is a “rewarding” and “valuable” experience. Each year, Morris Hills seniors have the opportunity to join the Structured Learned Experience (SLE) program, where they can hold a part-time job while learning about career exploration, personal finance, workplace safety, and labor laws. Under the guidance of one of Morris Hills SLE coordinators—Ms. Jackson, teacher of Business, and Mrs. Salisbury, teacher of Business—seniors work at restaurants, retail stores, child care centers, medical offices, animal service centers, and more.

Students start the SLE in the summer, where they work with Ms. Jackson and Mrs. Salisbury to find a non-hazardous job that fits with their career goals and is within 10 miles of the school. Then, during the school year, students can be dismissed from either Block 4 or Block 8 to attend their job. SLE coordinators come to visit to ensure the student is meeting the requirements of the course and to ensure all labor laws are followed. There are both informal reflections as well as formal quarterly evaluations from managers.

Per Ms. Jackson, one of the most valuable aspects of the SLE is the soft skills that students learn. “Students in this program learn about responsibility, time management, and how to manage their money,” and some have advanced at the places where they work after graduation. Additional skills students learn include “communicating with managers, how to work well with coworkers, how to receive feedback and [how] to improve as an employee,” in Ms. Jackson’s perspective.

Since the start of the school year, Morris Hills students in the SLE program have earned $348,216.49, or about $7,400 per student, according to Mrs. Salisbury. Narcisa Pinto Merino, senior, reported that “from taking this course [SLE], I communicate better with my managers and I have learned how important a job can really be.” Other students have relayed that they feel more capable in the workforce as a result of SLE, as well as more experienced and more understanding of the responsibilities that holding a job requires.

Each year, several new businesses partner with Morris Hills’ SLE program, in addition to the existing businesses that already have a working relationship with the MHRD district. Looking forward, Ms. Jackson hopes to continue to provide “as many opportunities as possible to our students.”