Agricultural and Environmental Education
Milton Hershey believed students benefit from learning beyond the classroom. Since Milton Hershey School’s founding in 1909, agriculture has been a part of its legacy. Today, the program is known as the Agricultural and Environmental Education (AEE) program.
Legacy Learning
Every day we see exactly what our students can achieve when given the best opportunities in education. With a focus broader than traditional classroom academics, our students are given even more tools to thrive. See how MHS classroom learning reinforces hands-on AEE instruction.
Hands-On Field Experience
Agricultural and Environmental Education at MHS is diverse. It engages students of all ages, pre-K through 12th grades, through hands-on learning. In addition to classroom lessons, students can choose to participate in AEE clubs outside of the regular school day.
More Than Farming
AEE exposes students fully to the industry. They gain environmental and agricultural literacy working with:
- Crops and orchards
- Beef cattle and horses
- Dairy goats and sheep
- Reptiles
- Hydroponically-grown plants
- Other small animals
Learning the Business
Students also are able to see the business side of the industries. Learning emphasizes on agriculture-focused:
- Production
- Processing
- Marketing
- Distribution
- Financing
From Resources to Products
Last, they dig into learning about available resources and work to develop commodities, including:
- Food and fibers
- Natural resources
- Horticulture
- Other plant and animal products and resources
Agricultural and Environmental Education’s Five Components
The MHS AEE program is staffed with experts. They work closely with our Scholastic and Home Life departments. They also work to integrate STEAM into their programming. STEAM stands for science, technology, engineering, arts, and math. Their goal? To provide real-world experiences for students and help them decide if they have career interest in the field.
Explore the Animal Center
Drag to see a 360-degree view of the Milton Hershey School Animal Center. Then, click to engage with interactive content.
AEE In Action
Project Market
Project Market is a local produce market open to the community. Student interns and staff pick year-round, fresh produce and sell it at Project Market. They also participate in planting and growing the products. During the summer, students sell ice cream they make at the Spartan Ice Cream Center.
PA Farm Show Preparation
MHS students make final preparations with cattle for the Pennsylvania Farm Show. It is a hands-on learning opportunity that is preparing them for careers in agriculture and veterinary medicine.
Building Leaders
Project Market operates through an authentic, student-run business model. It is a partnership with the school’s AEE and CTE programs. Alumni experts and local business partners provide guidance to students. Interning with Project Market builds collaboration skills and reinforces character and leadership lessons being learned in the classroom and student home.
Students manage all aspect of running the business, including:
- Marketing
- Advertising
- Logo and branding development
- Profit margin analysis
- Patron research and analysis
- Customer service
- Inventory control and management
- Shelving and product showcasing strategies
- Research and design in product development
- Business management skills
