>>My first job, at 14, was as a groundskeeper at the Thomas A. Edison Winter Home [before the Ford home was added]. During the summer months, I raked millions of leaves, mowed acres of lawn and worked on special projects like rebuilding the Edison pier, constructing sidewalks and repairing Edison's home.

My take-home pay was approximately $58 per week, based on a 44-hour week. It seemed like a lot of money at the time. I saved so I'd have spending money during the school year.

The worst part of the job was the heat and mosquitoes. I remember brushing into shrubs and seeing black clouds of mosquitoes emerge. It actually got so bad I remember putting GOJO hand cleaner on my arms to ward them off.

Between high school and college, I took a year off [from school] to save money so that I could get married. That year I started giving tours. I thought it would be a great opportunity to learn how to speak to groups. While that was the case, I was 18 years old with age-appropriate hair (fairly long) and sometimes I'd be pulled out of the garden, dirty and sweaty, to give tours when they were short on guides. It wasn't uncommon to see people in my tour group sneak off to join another tour with one of the older guides; they always had better stories to tell.

The job was particularly meaningful because my great-grandmother was a close friend of Mina Edison. It was not a cushy job. I remember going home exhausted most days, but I did meet some of the most colorful individuals I will ever have the opportunity to work with. My co-workers came from almost every educational, age, ethnic and economic background. They created memories for me that will last a lifetime.

-Lauren S. Bernaldo