The Taco “Bell” was ringing when it opened several weeks ago on Route 30 in Hammonton, and students looking for work heard it loud and clear.

Taco Bell’s opening not only offers another option when deciding what to each, but it also creates jobs for many students here at Hammonton High School. For some, they are not faced with the task of juggling both school and work.

Senior Giovany Rodriguez is one of those students, who has been putting in over 30 hours a week.

“I take senior privilege [in the morning] and don’t have to be in homeroom ’til the end of second period,” he said. “So I get to sleep in until 8:30 every day, which is nice because most nights I work pretty late.”

Balancing work and school is a problem that many high school students have to deal with not only here, but across the country.

In order to help students with this balancing act, the school offers a school-to-work program called S.L.E. (which stands for Structured Learning Experience).  Taught by Mr. Richard Cote, the course provides students with knowledge about things that will help them not only get a job but also be a successful employee. The class also allows students to leave after fifth period and go to work as part of that learning experience.

Senior Jose Vargas, who also works at Taco Bell, is in the S.L.E. program.

“I work anywhere from 20 to 30 hours a week and leave after fifth period everyday and at work by 12, ” he said. Jose.