It is common for teenagers to have jobs serving at restaurants, organizing shelves at stores, and answering phone calls at businesses alike, but how many teens are working in the field of their dream job?

Sophomore Gretchen Stommel is lucky enough to be doing exactly that.

The SHS student wants to be an architect and is currently working for her uncle and dad’s house flipping business.

“I first started doing my job over the summer. I’ll help measure the houses so that I have a general blueprint with the windows and the doors [etc.]. Then I draw up the houses as they are built [originally]. It is called an as-built,” Stommel said.

Stommel is very knowledgeable about the house flipping process which means she is familiar with the lingo involved.

For those who do not know, an as-built is submitted to the city before construction begins along with a new blueprint for the house–Stommel creates that as well.

“A lot of times once they’ve put up the walls and everything, I get to help pick out the finishes.
“On one of the [houses] they are doing right now, I got to pick out the vanities for the bathrooms, the faucets, the door knobs, the kitchen counter tops, and the tile,” Stommel said.

The future architect really enjoys her job; it is the perfect fit for Stommel right now. It does not interfere with her ballet schedule, and she has a lot of freedom with when she works.

“When I grow up I want to be an architect, so it’s nice to get the hands on experience and insight. I see myself in the future, taking over the family business and continuing with what [my uncle and dad] doing,” Stommel said.

Stommel is an example to everyone that it is never too early to start working towards one’s dream.