Summer jobs. College orientation. Graduation parties. All the typical events that high school students, especially graduating seniors, look forward to are what have Hermitage students worried.

"I'm trying to get a job. I need to make some spending money for college and this is going to cut into that," said Hermitage High School senior Ross Trimmer, 18, of North Keel Ridge Road.

What "this" refers to is a two-day-old strike, which started Thursday after contract negotiations broke down between the school board and the Hermitage Education Association Tuesday night.

Seniors were scheduled to graduate June 5, but if the strike lasts the seven days allowed by Act 88, the last day of school would be June 14 to fulfill the state-mandated 180 days in a school year.

"I hope they honor our current graduation date," said senior Ed Likovich, 18, of Pine Cone Drive. "That may be a problem if that gets pushed back."

Some of the problems include already-scheduled graduation parties, planned family vacations, college orientations and a search for summer jobs.

"I'm just basically concerned about if we're graduating on time," said Ashlee DeMuth, 18, of Spangler Road. "My graduation party is the weekend after (the original date of) graduation at the Hermitage Masonic Lodge. We can't change the time because they're all booked up."

Jason Lazar, 18, of Foxwood Drive, has his college orientation at Ohio State University near the end of June, and is supposed to go on a family vacation June 16. He and his family are not happy about the possible monkey wrench thrown into their plans.

"I'm probably going to have to miss a week of school. I don't see any other alternative," he said. "And I've been trying to get a job for the past three months, but I guess they won't be hiring a lot of high school students because we can't work now."

He also has out-of-town family members that already have purchased plane tickets to come to his June 5 graduation.

Alicia Deflin, 17, of Esther Lane, is also concerned about the effect of a belated graduation on college.

She had to pick several dates in June for college orientation in North Carolina, and hopes the college won't choose the earlier dates on her list because it might interfere with her extended school year. She won't be notified by the school until May with the orientation date.

"I also need my final transcripts before I go for orientation," Ms. Deflin said.

Mark Tarkanick, 17, of Superior Street, views the strike as the last straw after dealing with unfinished classrooms during his high school career.

"We've been in renovation for four years, and now the teachers are on strike and we're going to be going to school halfway through the summer," he said. "I may have to be in school during my graduation party."

Justin Kraynak, 17, of East State Street, a junior, doesn't mind being off from school and sleeping in until 1 p.m., but he may have to miss out on hockey camp in June.

"I think it's kind of stupid in a way," he said, referring to the strike. "I want to get it over with, though I am enjoying myself."

"Overall, its a bad situation. I don't think anyone wanted it to happen," said Trimmer.

Some students took their teachers' side, even though they don't like losing part of their summer.

"I support the teachers in everything they do. I think the district needs a third party to arbitrate," said Likovich. "The most important thing to me is my education."

Ms. Deflin agreed.

"They deserve what they're asking for. They're not even asking a lot. I'm happy with a 75-cent raise," she said. "We did feel like we were left in the dark, though. Some people were mad at the teachers for not telling us what was happening, but they couldn't tell us."

Lazar doesn't care who was right or wrong. "I just want both sides to resolve this as quickly and easily as possible. There's just so much going on this summer in general."

You can e-mail Herald Staff Writer Sherris Moreira-Byers at sbyers@sharon-herald.com