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Invisible No More

Shining a Light on Childhood Poverty

Since 1909, Milton Hershey School has played a critical role in helping qualifying students form a strong foundation of fundamental life skills on which to thrive. As an educational leader, MHS has supported the successful growth of children for more than 110 years with all costs covered.

On Monday, Nov. 14, MHS welcomed Pulitzer-Prize winning journalists Andrea Elliott and Trymaine Lee ’96 to Founders Hall for a conversation about Elliott’s best-selling book, “Invisible Child: Poverty, Survival, and Hope in an American City.”

Read More about the EventPurchase a Signed Copy of Invisible Child

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Andrea Elliott and Trymaine Lee engage in a meaningful conversation about Invisible Child book.

Meet Andrea Elliott

Andrea is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist who has documented the lives of poor Americans, Muslim immigrants, and other people on the margins of power. She is an investigative reporter for The New York Times and the author of “Invisible Child,” which won the 2022 Pulitzer Prize in General Nonfiction.

Read Her Bio

"Invisible Child" News Coverage

NY Times Book Review: "Invisible Child"

New York Times journalist Andrew Desmond reviews Andrea Elliott’s “Invisible Child,” a book that was eight years in the making, following Dasani Coates and her family around to school, court and welfare appointments, and to their homeless shelter in New York City. Elliott writes about childhood poverty and the complex issues affecting low-income families in the U.S.

Read the NY Times Book Review

MSNBC: Why Is This Happening? Uncovering "The Invisible Child" with Andrea Elliott

MSNBC speaks with Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and author Andrea Elliott about her book, “Invisible Child: Poverty, Survival & Hope In An American City.” The podcast brings light to the struggles of children, like Dasani, and their families living in poverty in the U.S.

CNN: Putting a Face on Homelessness in "Invisible Child"

Journalist Andrea Elliott speaks with CNN News about homelessness in New York City and how a young girl named Dasani navigated family trauma and a system stacked against her.

NPR: "Invisible Child" Chronicles How Homelessness Shaped the Life of Dasani

The NPR book review of Andrea Elliott’s “Invisible Child: Poverty, Survival, and Hope in an American City,” highlights the protagonist, Dasani, and journalist, Elliott, and how their stories collide to examine childhood poverty and the many who find themselves in similarly impossible circumstances.

Read the News Story
Andrea Elliott and Trymaine Lee engage in a meaningful conversation about Invisible Child book.

Meet Trymaine Lee

Trymaine is a Pulitzer Prize and Emmy award-winning journalist. He is a correspondent for MSNBC and host of the podcast, Into America. He covers social justice issues and the role of race, violence, politics, and law enforcement in America. Trymaine graduated from Milton Hershey School in 1996.

Read His Bio

Award-Winning Poverty Talks Series

In this thought leadership series, MHS staff discussed how our mission helps educate and nurture children from qualifying families. Watch the discussions that were sparked by Elliott’s best-selling book, “Invisible Child.”

A Whole Child Approach to Education

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Engaging with Parents and Sponsors

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The Impact of Early Childhood Education

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The Impact of Houseparents

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Milton Hershey School health care virtual sessions

Our Whole Child Approach

At MHS, we believe that the best way to help qualifying students reach their fullest potential is with a whole child approach to education that acknowledges and addresses the specific challenges children face, both inside and outside the classroom.

This whole child approach to education is more critical now than ever before, especially as the pandemic has disproportionately affected qualifying families and widened the education gap.

Providing for Daily NeedsHouseparenting and Home Life

Adverse Childhood Experiences

Every MHS student comes from poverty—but that’s only part of the challenging life circumstances before enrolling. Poverty also contributes to the accumulation of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), defined as traumatic events experienced by children before the age of 18.

Research shows that ACEs can put a child at greater risk for physical and mental health problems throughout their lifetime. At MHS, our approach to whole child care focuses on the effective ways to help children recover from ACEs by providing them with stable support, resources, and the strategies to persevere and succeed.

Invisible Child houseparents

Staff Impacting Student Outcomes

Each employee helps to shape the lives of the students we serve at MHS. Whether students graduate from the school or not, the MHS community leaves imprints and helps students to lead healthy, fulfilling, and productive lives.

Careers Worth Every MinuteRead an Alumni Success Story

Catherine Hershey Schools for Early Learning students play together.

Early Childhood Education

MHS has announced an expansion of our mission into early childhood education. We will serve more children in need with the opening of Catherine Hershey Schools for Early Learning.

This will take our whole child approach further, working with children from birth to age 5 and increasing their chances for success. CHS will offer integrated support services to families of enrolled children with a dedicated family resource center.

Virtual Campus Tour

Navigate through our scenic campus, getting a closer look at the top-tier facilities, inside classrooms, and more.

E-Newsletter Sign Up

Interested in following MHS? Find out about what’s happening on campus in our weekly community e-newsletter.

Milton Hershey School does not discriminate in admissions or other programs and services on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, ancestry, sex, religious creed or disability. Read important MHS policies on equal opportunity and diversity, equal employment opportunity, and more.