It may be a way to do for a job, but Reem Abughannam has been working at a Sam’s restaurant in Davis for four years and she has no regrets. She likes her job “and I also like working with the people there,” she said.

Abughannam has been part of the staff for so long that people there don’t see her as just a high school student. “None of the employees go to Armijo,” she said. “They’re all grown.”

Juggling school and work has been both challenging and rewarding. She said that she gets paid well and likes her manager, too. She works up to 40 hours a week, mostly on weekends. “The thing I do the best there is customer service, since it’s easy,” she said.

Abughannam saves money from her job, but she doesn’t want to continue in food services for long. She plans to take courses to prepare her to become a paramedic and she would consider getting an internship at Kaiser or Northbay. But, for now, she’s in a good position to earn money and good recommendations.