While Stone Ridge students undoubtedly spend most of their time studying, preparing for tests, or participating in sports or the arts, there is so much more that goes on at home with our Gators. Many students engage in jobs and side hustles to make money, or simply for a fun way to spend their extra time. Oftentimes, hidden talents lie in these hobbies and ways the students make money.
Not only do the activities below provide income for the students to spend their own money, it also provides an outlet from school work, and offers a different kind of accomplishment that doesn’t relate to grades or scores. Another benefit to these side hustles is, what every SR student cares about, college! Colleges love seeing students partaking in out of school activities. Below are some examples of our very own Gators and what they do on the side of school.
Maddie DeLuca, who has been playing tennis since she was 7, decided to use her love for the sport to coach younger kids in her neighborhood. After school on Fridays and on weekends, Maddie gives private lessons to make money and pass her enjoyment for tennis to the kids. She teaches at local parks, just a short drive from her house, and while playing a sport she loves and improving her own skill, she also gets paid.
Another side hustle that is very convenient to Stone Ridge is sticking around for the extended day program for the lower school. Teresa Osberg, a senior here at SR, stays at school from 3:15-5:30pm on Mondays and Tuesdays to help out as the Lower School girls complete homework, play, and clean up. Teresa is able to complete some of her own homework as she sits with the Lower Schoolers, again, while being paid. It is very convenient, as she just stays at school for an extra couple hours. Teresa also works at Olazzo in Bethesda some days of the week and even weekends too, as a hostess. She has enjoyed trying new foods, seeing people from school, and getting to know her coworkers. This has also allowed Teresa to get comfortable working in a restaurant setting, as that is a very popular job to have in summers.
Next, Daniella Dinges uses her love for baking and creation to make beautiful cakes that she sells for events. Dani takes custom orders for people’s graduation parties, birthday parties, bat mitzvahs, and other special celebrations. She has also recently started to make cakes for dogs, what she calls “Doggy Delights” and 50% of the profit she makes from them goes to The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. You can find her on instagram @dani.ellasdelights. Go check her out!
Finally, Charlotte Conway babysits 2 times a week after school for a family with elementary school aged girls. She not only helps out with the family chores, but she plays with the kids at the playground, does crafts with them, and drives them to and from practices. Babysitters are almost always needed, especially in the SR Lower School community, so this is another great way to make money and fill your afternoons.
While students’ lives are busy with test prep, homework, and other extracurriculars, these are just a few examples of outlets students have used to busy themselves with something other than schoolwork.
