They're young and in charge, and local work force benefits

Teens these days are not usually thought of as doing much more than flipping burgers and committing crimes.

But that mischievous-looking kid at the neighborhood restaurant might have more responsibility than just clearing away dirty dishes.

He or she very well could be the manager.

Chris Fife serves the community as the voice on the other side of the Burger King drive-through on Austin Bluffs Parkway. At the ripe age of 17, he already is a member of the Burger King management team, signified by his yellow manager's shirt.

Before being promoted, Chris was another crew member. His devotion to his job and willingness to work hard put the official title of "Production Team" on his name tag.

Now, his job includes everything from satisfying customers to taking orders at the drive-through.

Many teen-agers throughout Colorado are serving the community as cooks, hosts, bussers and servers at many restaurants in town.

Andrea Gates is like many of these teens trying to make some extra cash. Not only does she bus, serve and greet, this 17-year-old also has a say in what goes on around her.

The high-school junior can be found running around The Piazza, a laid-back Italian restaurant. As a wait-staff assistant manager, Andrea knows first-hand the responsibilities of playing a primary role in the restaurant. Her adult attitude has given her the chance to have adult responsibilities, too. She tries to give quality service to guests, listens to complaints and deals with unhappy patrons.

Andrea feels teens are important in society.

"Too many times teens are overlooked by adults," she said. "I am trying to prove that teens can work and contribute their fair share to society."

Andrea said she constantly gives 100 percent. "I always give back what I can into school, the restaurant and society." Her favorite line: "I give everybody orders!"

Chris and Andrea understand their contributions to the local economy and to society. And they say their contributions to the workforce, their leadership qualities and responsibilities help reverse negative teen stereotypes.

- Edited by Jim Borden; headline by Teresa Owen-Cooper; The Gazette

Copyright 1999
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