Summer is coming as fast, and the school year  a blur. Some AHS students decide to kick it back and travel after the long and demanding school year, but other students cannot seem to find enough things to be working with. Some of the more ambitious students decide to make a little bit of money for themselves over the summer while they are also getting a little taste of what it is like to live in the real world and fend for themselves.

AHS Junior, Lou Lou Buglione, works for Aviator Nation. Aviator Nation is a small, local clothing company that employs many AHS students. Buglione has completely embraced the work environment, and has been working there for almost a year now. She talks about what it is like to work in a student based environment like Aviator, and also highlights the vigorous workload.

“I have been working at Aviator Nation for almost a year now, and the environment is great. Sometimes I’ll even get excited to go to work on a Summer day where there is not much going on. It is a great way to pass time with friends, and also make some money at the same time,” Buglione said. “The workload is not extreme to any measure. When it gets busy in the

Summer and Winter there are plenty of workers there helping one another all of the time. I love it.”

The working environment that Aviator Nation has developed passes through all the way up the hierarchy of people that are affiliated with the business. Ben Blaring, the real estate developer for Aviator Nation, feels that the workers do about the setting that they have created.

“When the architects and I were constructing the interior on the prints, we wanted to achieve the feel of a local California board shop. The locals in Aspen die for things like this because they are always so far from that tropical atmosphere,” Blaring said. “I personally think that this is the exact reason for why we have been so successful so soon. This is a relatively new building, and the revenue that it is pulling is quite astonishing.”

Dominic Lanese is another student worker, but he has started working only just recently. He has been working for Aspen Parks and Recreation centers all over Aspen, whether it is the golf course, the ice rink, or the swimming pool at the arc. Dominic has been very happy to be able to help out his father who is a big advocate and member of the Aspen Parks and Recreation board. Dominic talks about how his summers have changed because of his new responsibilities, and also what it feels like to make a living for himself as a highschool student.

“I initially got into working for APR because of my dad. He has been working for them for a very long time now, and we decided that I should join him to see what it is like to work and make money for yourself at a young age,” Lanese said. “The good part about my job is that I work very early in the morning. I used to wake up super late during the summers, but now I wake up early, make a little bit of money, and still have time to hang out with my friends. The biggest impact is that I have a lot more pride for myself and responsibility than I did before.”