Milton Hershey School - The GIFT Strategic Framework

Building What’s Next for MHS, Together

In 2034, Milton Hershey School will celebrate the 125th anniversary of the signing of our Deed of Trust. With the milestone of this incredible GIFT on the horizon, we are humbled by our legacy and energized by the opportunities ahead.

The GIFT Strategic Framework—representing our goals to Grow Our Mission, Innovate on the Delivery of Our Mission, Fortify The Milton Hershey Way, and Transform Our Culture—is both a tribute to our legacy and a bold call to action. It reflects our commitment to honoring the Deed of Trust by preparing more students than ever before for career and life success.

Vision Statement

MHS aspires toward transformative Leaps in our impact within and beyond the Hershey community. By 2034, our MHS community embraces our founders’ greatest gift—the Deed of Trust—by upholding our MHS Sacred Values and our tradition of pursuing excellence and embracing innovation, to prepare more students than ever before for career and life success.

Rooted in the Deed of Trust

The Deed of Trust—our North Star—is the foundation that guides Milton Hershey School. Since 1909, MHS has continually refined its home and school model to meet the evolving needs of students while staying true to our founders’ vision.

Together, these foundational components form a continuum of care and learning that equips students and staff with the tools and resources to grow with purpose, lead with integrity, and thrive in a changing world.

Deed of Trust & Mission (1909)

The Deed of Trust is the foundational legal document that guides every decision and action at MHS, ensuring we remain steadfast in our mission: to nurture and educate children in social and financial need to lead fulfilling and productive lives.

“Our school will provide every [child] in its care with a thorough, common school education supplemented by instruction in the useful crafts. We are teaching [them] agriculture, horticulture, dairying, blacksmith work, the rudiments of electrical work, carpentry and such things. We do not plan to turn them out finished artisans, but to provide a foundation on which they may build.”—Milton S. Hershey, 1923

School Pledge (1926)

Inspired by the Deed of Trust, the School Pledge is a daily affirmation of the values and standards that unite our community.

I will keep myself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight.

I will keep my standards high and help others to do likewise.

In my relationships with others, I will live by the Golden Rule and will speak the truth at all times.

I pledge myself to honor, and to do all I can for the good of my School, my country, and my God.

Sacred Values (2003)

The four Sacred Values serve as the moral compass and define standards for the MHS community.

Commitment to Mission—Put the school and our mission above our own interests.
Integrity—Speak openly and honestly and do not gossip.
Positive Spirit—Show up enthusiastically with a can-do attitude toward work and school.
Mutual Respect—Actively respect and assume the best in everyone.

The Milton Hershey Way (2023)

This framework, focused on the pillars of character development and Career-Focused Education, empowers students to be their best selves with support from staff who have high expectations and warmly demand excellence of them. The Milton Hershey Way is defined as:

The continuous pursuit of excellence through mutual respect and work ethic to prepare students for career and life success.

Mindset, Heartset, Skillset (2025)

The Leadership Development Framework and Entrepreneurial M.H.S. Framework shape how students and staff grow, lead, and live with purpose. They foster values-based thinking, compassionate relationships, and the skills needed to thrive and serve others.

Mindset—Defines how individuals think, act, and lead within our home and school.
Heartset—Reflects the MHS Sacred Values we live by: Positive Spirit, Commitment to Mission, Integrity, and Mutual Respect.
Skillset—Describes the knowledge, abilities, and habits needed to grow, contribute, and succeed.

Why The GIFT?

We call it The GIFT Strategic Framework—honoring how our founders’ gift positions us to unlock the innate gifts of each student we serve. It’s our path forward, guided by clarity, courage, and unstoppable momentum.

As we look ahead, 2034 isn’t just a milestone—it marks a moment to honor the gift we’ve been given through the Deed of Trust, and to show how we’re building upon it for the next generation.

Review the Framework

Imperatives to Guide Us

By 2034, we aim to grow our impact within and beyond the Hershey community. To guide us toward this vision, we have established a framework built on four interdependent imperatives. Each imperative of The GIFT Strategic Framework is designed to move us forward with purpose.

Grow Our Mission

Grow our mission and impact within and beyond the Hershey community.

Goal: By 2034, MHS will expand its reach and deepen its impact—serving more students, supporting more alumni, and strengthening the pipeline from Catherine Hershey Schools for Early Learning.

Innovate on the Delivery of Our Mission

Innovate on the delivery of our mission through bold thinking and entrepreneurial spirit.

Goal: By 2034, MHS will lead with bold ideas and strategic partnerships that expand opportunities for students and alumni.

Fortify The Milton Hershey Way

Fortify The Milton Hershey Way through Character and Career

Goal:

By 2034, our community will fully embody the values and culture that define The Milton Hershey Way.
By 2034, every student will be equipped to reach their full potential through personalized, integrated Career-Focused Education, and meaningful career pathways.

Transform Our Culture

Transform our culture by inspiring excellence, accountability, and continuous growth.

Goal: By 2034, MHS will be a thriving community where excellence is the standard and every individual feels empowered, accountable, and aligned in purpose.

Our Leaps Forward

Our strategic Leaps are designed to break our nine-year vision into focused, achievable milestones that keep us moving forward with clarity and momentum. Each Leap spans three years and builds upon the progress of the previous one.

Together, they ensure we stay grounded in our mission while adapting to new opportunities and challenges along the way.

Leap 1: Build and Integrate

Years 1-3 will be spent developing new programs and approaches while strengthening current ones of value, prioritizing integration across campus to best serve students, alumni, and staff.

Leap 2: Inquire and Adjust

In years 4-6, we will maintain a mindset of inquiry into innovative programs and approaches while continuing to evolve our pursuit of strategic aspirations.

Senior division students in English class

Leap 3: Realize the Aspiration

Years 7-9 are when we will realize all strategic aspirations with continued effort and investments, building upon our success in Leaps 1 and 2.

Leap 1 (2025-28) Milestones

The first three years of our strategic framework are focused on building the foundation for long-term success. During Leap 1, we will launch new programs, strengthen what’s already working, and prioritize integration across our campus and community. This phase is about aligning our systems, people, and practices to ensure we are prepared to grow, innovate, fortify, and transform together.

Year 1 (2025-26)

Grow: The growth and financial feasibility assessment informs decision around expanding MHS student capacity beyond 2,300; operations and data infrastructure assessed to enable scalable, efficient, and AI-integrated transformation of business capabilities.
Innovate: Center for Entrepreneurial and Career Excellence (CE)² strategy in place and key audiences (e.g., students, alumni, staff, Hershey entity partners) engaged to ensure key value propositions.
Fortify (Character): Milton Hershey Entrepreneurial Mindset, Heartset, and Skillset (M.H.S.) framework, crystalized and primed for alignment with (CE)² and all aspects of The Milton Hershey Way Character Development and Career-Focused Education model.
Fortify (Career): CTE assessment for updating courses of study, work-based learning, and GPS programs completed, and a differentiated career pathway review cycle established.
Transform: Leadership Development Framework integrated across the employee lifecycle; employee sourcing strategies refined based on data dashboard.

Year 2 (2026-27)

Grow: CHS Shared Services model evolved; quick-win process, system, and strategy enhancements advanced.
Innovate: (CE)² opens in January 2027.
Fortify (Character): Motivation Ladder strengthened such that all key activities students pursue, and staff support, tie back to students’ individualized career and life aspirations.
Fortify (Career): Entrepreneurial M.H.S. framework positions students for success in the 21st century, embedding Mr. Hershey’s entrepreneurial legacy, attributes, and skills in CTE and core academic instruction and curricula, as well as Home Life.
Transform: Warm demander and extreme ownership trainings deepen mindset shifts; employee feedback mechanisms are used to measure progress and adjust approach.

Year 3 (2027-28)

Grow: MHS and CHS growth targets met.
Innovate: (CE)² graduates its first cohort of students with demonstrated entrepreneurial M.H.S. and offers programming to students and alumni (e.g., accelerator cohorts, demo days).
Fortify (Character): All Home Life curriculum and MHS report cards align to The Milton Hershey Way and entrepreneurial M.H.S.
Fortify (Career): Full implementation of entrepreneurial M.H.S.-aligned framework, Career-Focused Education ensures Middle and Senior Division students have high-quality graduate plans which reflect individualized interests, aptitudes, and ambitions.
Transform: Mindset shifts demonstrate improved leadership and performance; new technologies tested to shape workforce.

Leap 2 (2028-31)

The second Leap of our strategic framework is focused on inquiry, innovation, and evolution. Building on the momentum of Leap 1, this phase is about refining our approaches, deepening our impact, and staying agile in a changing world. We will ask bold questions, test new ideas, and adjust strategies to ensure we remain aligned with our long-term aspirations.

housparents teaching students how to play chess

Leap 3 (2031-34)

The final Leap of our strategic framework is where our long-term vision becomes reality. This phase is about scaling what works, celebrating progress, and ensuring sustainability for future generations. It’s where legacy meets leadership, and where Milton Hershey School solidifies its place as a national leader in character development and Career-Focused Education.

middle division students staying informed on their tablets

Stay Informed

We look forward to sharing updates with you as we progress through our transformative Leaps. You also can read about our successes in our current Brown & Gold Report annual report.

Read the Annual Report