State of the School School Leadership Thank You, Mr. Hershey Our Students Whole Child Care School Year Success Class of 2024 Life After MHS Making Breakthrough Moments Happen Catherine Hershey Schools for Early Learning MILT Plan Achievements
State of the School School Leadership Thank You, Mr. Hershey Our Students Whole Child Care School Year Success Class of 2024 Life After MHS Making Breakthrough Moments Happen Catherine Hershey Schools for Early Learning MILT Plan Achievements
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It was a Breakthrough year in Hershey, PA!
The 2023-24 school year brought a heightened focus to our founders’ intent and vision for their home and school. With Mr. and Mrs. Hershey’s mission to guide us, the Milton Hershey School community shattered real and perceived barriers to become the very best versions of ourselves, just like our school theme—Breakthrough—motivated us to do.
MHS got back to the basics outlined in our Deed of Trust by looking in, reaching out, rising up, and breaking through. Taking this initiative one step further, we elevated standards and expectations of student behavior by developing The Milton Hershey Way, which is defined as the continuous pursuit of excellence through mutual respect and work ethic to prepare students for career and life success. Our students have grown exponentially in their soft skills since the adoption of the new framework.
Our work has been significantly enhanced by the incorporation and installation of the school’s five foundational elements—the Ten Commandments, Golden Rule, MHS School Pledge, Sacred Values, and Definition of Success—in every student home, Transitional Living facility, and school building. These principles, which are the cornerstones of our programs, influence and guide every decision we make. They symbolize our commitment to preserving tradition while embracing innovation.
To add to our achievements, in November 2023, we celebrated the 100th anniversary of The New York Times announcement that Milton S. Hershey left his fortune, in the form of a trust, to our school, allowing it to live on in perpetuity.
This school year also marked the completion of the fourth year of our 2020-2025 strategic plan—the MILT Plan. With an emphasis on our founders’ vision, it was fitting that in September 2023, Catherine Hershey Schools for Early Learning—a subsidiary of MHS—opened its first Early Childhood Education Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania. The Center now serves 150 children from six weeks to 5 years old—with all costs covered.
If we’ve learned anything during the 2023-24 school year, it is that the Hersheys’ legacy continues to grow. Now more than ever, we are confident that, together, we can achieve our Breakthrough.
MHS Mission and Strategy Team
At Milton Hershey School, we rely on our Mission and Strategy Team—our president, a senior vice president, and six vice presidents—to guide our strategic direction. This team oversees the school’s primary functions and day-to-day operation, so our students have everything they need to live and learn on campus.
Our executive leadership team collaborates with our Board of Managers to drive outcomes and success. In 2023-24, the MHS Board of Managers and the Hershey Trust Company (HTC) Board of Directors announced the election of Maria Trinh Kraus ’89 as Chairman. Kraus is the first female MHS graduate to serve in this position. She was elected to the MHS and HTC Boards in 2018 and most recently served as Vice Chairman, a position to which she was appointed in 2020.
Through goal setting, tracking success, and celebrating achievements, our leaders remain focused on furthering the mission and vision of Milton and Catherine Hershey while ensuring MHS operates in perpetuity and responds to the changing needs of our students, parents/sponsors, and staff.
MHS Mission and Strategy Team
“I couldn’t live without chocolate because Hershey isn’t just a type of chocolate to me. Those letters aren’t just bold lettering I see when I rip open my chocolate bar. To me, Hershey means home. Seven letters, one word, and 12 small, brown squares completely changed my life.”
In November 1923, the public learned of a significant financial decision made by Milton S. Hershey five years earlier to benefit the children of his school. Mr. Hershey placed a $60 million gift in a trust to ensure the home and school he and his wife established would continue in perpetuity. He sought no notoriety for his gift, and through it, he became one of the greatest philanthropists of all time, impacting the lives of nearly 12,000 graduates and their families.
A century later, the enduring impact of the Hersheys’ generosity, kindness, and forward thinking lives on across the MHS campus, in the work of the other companies Mr. Hershey established, and in the effective leadership he modeled. We are thankful for Milton and Catherine’s legacy, which serves as a beacon of hope and inspiration for the future.
“Chocolate is a piece of who I am. It is a beautiful representation of a man and woman who opened a world of possibilities for me, and today, it is an opportunity to make sure that their legacy and the gift of education they’ve provided can live on forever.”
“It’s hard to imagine somebody with no children of their own who could say that we’re going to take everything we have and do a job helping kids that need a hand.”
“If we are celebrating his gift, we are celebrating every other accomplishment beyond him—every student who made it, every graduation.”
“Thank you, Mr. Hershey, for my opportunity to be here and have a good education.”
Our students use everything they learn in and out of the classroom to achieve Breakthrough moments that change the trajectory of their lives. Through their determination, resilience, and commitment to bettering themselves and others, they take full advantage of the opportunities at MHS.
In the 2023-24 school year, MHS welcomed 499 new students, bringing our school-year enrollment to a peak of 2,110 students. This growth is a testament to the strong sense of community and belonging that MHS offers.
Whether it is a student’s first year or they’re preparing to graduate, MHS programs, extracurricular activities, and support systems are available to guide them to find success in school and life.
Peak Enrollment
Success Starts Here
MHS students enroll for various reasons and represent diverse backgrounds. Regardless of their situation or where they come from across the United States, our students and their families seek to break the cycle of poverty. MHS provides the opportunity and quality education to help them achieve this goal.
During the 2023-24 school year, 20% of our total students hailed from the tri-county area (Dauphin, Lebanon, and Lancaster counties), with another 46% from other regions of the Commonwealth. Including Pennsylvania, our students represent 39 states.
The Admissions and Family Relations teams guide students and parents/sponsors through the application process and transition to MHS. However, every MHS staff member empowers our students to succeed. Whether it’s through leadership roles in the classroom or on the field, or pursuing work experiences and internships, our students are constantly developing their character and skills, preparing for success at MHS and beyond.
Ethnicity
Geography
MHS Definition of Success
A Milton Hershey School student and graduate is successful and able to lead a fulfilling and productive life when he or she:
Exhibits integrity, good character, and moral behavior
Displays mutual respect, social skills, and healthy relationships
Possesses a positive spirit, strong work ethic, and determination to persevere
Demonstrates selfsufficiency, career skills, and employability
Acknowledges responsibility and civic duty through service to others
Pursues a balance of health and wellness in mind, body, and spirit
Student Retention Rate 5-Year Average
New Students
New Student Retention Rate
Student Population
Just as MHS students come from various backgrounds and different areas of the country, they also come with an array of needs that are addressed so they can succeed in the classroom and beyond.
Our program is designed to care for the whole child, ensuring that every student can reach their fullest potential without financial burden. We provide comprehensive health services with all costs covered—this includes medical and dental care, food, clothing, housing, and psychological, behavioral, and social work services. Additionally, the equipment and resources for extracurricular activities, clubs, and athletics are free to MHS students.
At MHS, we understand student breakthroughs happen through consistency, comprehensive support, and a safe, nurturing environment. That is why we are open year-round to serve the needs of our students and their families. In addition, we encourage families to stay involved in their child’s MHS experience—a crucial element for students to achieve success. MHS parents/sponsors can rest assured that their child is cared for and has access to fun activities, top-notch wellness services, and a community committed to their learning and growth.
Overcoming Obstacles
Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and other stressors that impact new MHS students* enrolled during the 2023-24 school year:
* From the 2023-24 MHS New Student Profile Database that tracks ACEs and over 120 risk factors.
Impacts of ACEs
Whole Child Care
Year-Round Experiences
Many MHS students remain on campus during breaks, which makes our Year-Round Experiences (YRE) program an important component of our community. Over the six breaks during our 2023-24 school year, approximately 45% of our students participated in at least one YRE activity. In the summer of 2024 alone, 627 MHS students participated in YRE, a 27% increase compared to the prior year.
MHS staff work hard to accomplish several main YRE goals, such as enhancing academic skills, strengthening STEAM engagement, building wellness and healthy lifestyles, fostering applied work experiences, and giving back through community service.
In the summer especially, abundant activities and experiences are offered each day, from academic enrichment and cooking classes to coding sessions, theater workshops, and overnight ecology camps.
During the seven-week period, there were six overarching summer 2024 YRE modules—Summer School, Spartan Warriors, Spartan Day Camp, Specialty Camps, Domestic Service Learning Experience Trips, and Authentic Work Experiences
Strong Bonds Created
It is the responsibility of all MHS staff members to impact the lives of our students. Through mentorship programs in all divisions, participating in classroom activities, or even taking on extra responsibilities as coaches and club advisors, valuable connections and trusted relationships are formed between students and staff. These strong bonds help our students because they know there is always someone to listen and provide advice as they navigate their MHS experience.
“I really appreciate having a trusted adult I can reach out to for advice. Mrs. Espenshade is definitely my go-to.”
“I tell the students that my job is to keep them safe. Some refer to me as their personal bodyguard.”
During the 2023-24 school year, we defined Breakthrough as shattering real or perceived barriers to become the very best versions of ourselves. When students first arrive at MHS, they receive support to navigate life while on campus and beyond. By having MHS provide all the resources and opportunities to find success, it is up to each individual student—through good habits, hard work, and effort—to unlock their own potential. This concept and the Breakthrough theme were inspired by the Keyhole sculpture on campus.
Breakthrough Accomplishments
Our students and staff achieved an immeasurable number of Breakthrough accomplishments during the 2023-24 school year. They elevated standards of excellence on our campus and beyond, honed their passions and career interests, and lived out the commitments in the MHS School Pledge through more than 2,200 community service projects totaling greater than 56,000 volunteer hours.
At the core of our robust curriculum is opportunity and strong foundational values rooted in the MHS School Pledge and Sacred Values. In fact, when Milton and Catherine Hershey decided to create a home and school for children in search of opportunity, they knew that character would be as important to longterm student success as education.
To support this vision, our rich character-based curriculum—The Compass Project—allows students to gain the necessary skills to achieve their aspirations. Through monthly experiential lessons in the student home led by MHS houseparents, our students develop important social-emotional learning skills. During the 2023-24 school year, The Compass Project focused on the areas of self-management, social awareness, and emotional regulation. Every MHS staff member is responsible for helping our students acquire these skills and achieve success.
Student Voice
Career-Focused Education Experiences
Career-Focused Education programs in all scholastic divisions help MHS students realize the many opportunities available to them after graduation. Thanks to MHS community partnerships, students gain access to expertise and experiences. In the 2023-24 school year, MHS expanded its student career exposures to further evolve its curriculum.
Community Service
Student Voice
Student Voice
Breakthrough Educational Moments
Whether it’s experiencing a pivotal success, finding new knowledge, overcoming adversity, or breaking through a barrier, Breakthrough achievements define who we are. At MHS, we believe education is the key to the future, and students can unlock their own potential.
How We Rank
PSSA:
Math
English Language Arts
Science
Keystone:
Algebra 1
Literature
Biology
ED – Economically Disadvantaged | Source: Spring 2024 Pennsylvania Keystone Exams State Content Area Summary Report
seniors completed an internship
seniors completed a co-op
students completed a pre-apprenticeship
students participated in a Domestic Service Learning Experiences trip
students traveled internationally
high school students earned college credits
Student Voice
By crossing the stage at GIANT Center on graduation day the 193 members of the MHS Class of 2024 achieved a significant Breakthrough milestone—some being the first in their family to graduate from high school. Collectively, they completed 5,750 community service hours, 152 completed internships, 18 completed co-ops with a Hershey community partner or local business, and 149 completed college-level courses. Additionally, 11 students received their pre-apprenticeship certification from The Manufacturers’ Association before the school year even started.
For the Class of 2024, these opportunities and connections opened new doors to achieve career and life success far beyond our campus in Hershey, Pennsylvania. Their post-graduate plans include earning two- and four-year degrees, jumping into the world of work, and enlisting in the military.
They now bring the total number of MHS alumni to 11,848.
Reflecting on What Breakthrough Means to the Class of 2024
“Although all our stories are different, we all took off from our own places, migrating to Milton Hershey School, thanks to our benefactors Milton and Catherine Hershey, to embrace the possibilities of something new.”
“A Breakthrough to me is when you finally get over a ‘hump.’ It’s that accomplishment you have gained through tenacity and resilience—it brings a good feeling into your life.”
“In a world that often feels overshadowed by darkness, uncertainty, and hardship, our lights are more important than ever. It is through our collective light that we can accomplish our greatest Breakthrough.”
Postsecondary Choices
Of the 193 graduates in the Class of 2024, 80% (154 students) plan to pursue postsecondary education.
“I didn’t know it at the time, but that MHS acceptance letter was my Breakthrough. A Breakthrough from the path I was heading down and a Breakthrough that caused me to redirect from a life riddled with uncertainty, sadness, excuses, and self-pity.”
“To me, Breakthrough means to have a change either emotionally, mentally, or physically because of a particular event or circumstance.”
From the day they arrive at Milton Hershey School, students are preparing for graduation. MHS serves as the bridge between childhood and adulthood. With so many resources provided through our faculty and Graduate Programs for Success (GPS) program, students graduate prepared to unlock new breakthroughs with a defined skill to carry them forward. In addition, we unlock opportunities for our 11,848 alumni to remain connected to their alma mater in meaningful ways.
At MHS, we seek to produce graduates who break the cycle of poverty. To do this, they must be able to earn family-sustaining wages in a professional or technical career. Our resilient graduates show generosity and give back to others, demonstrate moral and social responsibility, are self-managing and self-sufficient, develop and maintain healthy relationships, and show a balance of wellness in mind, body, and spirit.
Exploring Postsecondary Options to Achieve Future Breakthroughs
Milton Hershey School’s GPS offers a variety of opportunities for Senior Division students to explore postsecondary options. Throughout fall and spring semesters, students visited with representatives of partner colleges and universities during lunch periods and participated in the annual Postsecondary Fair in the spring. They also visited GPS Partner School campuses throughout the year.
“At the presentations, I liked how they were all friendly and open to questions. I learned what I was or wasn’t looking for in a college.”
Fulfilling Mr. Hershey’s Dream
From humble beginnings, William Dearden ’40 became the first Milton Hershey School graduate to lead The Hershey Chocolate Corporation and fulfill Mr. Hershey’s dream that one of “his boys” would run his chocolate factory.
Today, the Dearden Foundation honors the life, spirit, leadership, humility, and gratitude of William Dearden. It serves to inspire and empower MHS students and graduates through education, social programs, and support services.
In recognition of Mr. Dearden’s impact, a new exhibit exploring his life opened at The Hershey Story museum experience in 2024.
Achieving Breakthroughs: Spartan Success Stories
“I was surrounded by teachers, coaches, and administrators who cared. Every adult in my life shared the same mission to help me be the best version of myself. MHS planted seeds for my passions by showing me people who exhibited passion for their work.”
“[MHS] is not just a school, it’s home. It’s having a support system. If I ever needed help, I would find it there. The MHS network transcends so many ideations of what networks are supposed to be. Home is where the people that you love are. It’s a place of safety and comfort. If I could say thank you to anyone, I would say thank you to Mr. and Mrs. Hershey for literally everything.”
“The opportunities, the people [who] support and encourage you, and the values—like work ethic—you are developing here at MHS are putting you in the position to succeed. Now you have to do everything you can to position yourself to be successful.”
Our 2023-24 school year theme—Breakthrough—challenged our community to think about the real or perceived barriers that are holding us back from achieving greatness. It reminded us that our greatest breakthroughs are the ones that are yet to come.
By hiring staff who are focused on bringing out the best in our students, we ensure they are positively shaping the lives of the students we serve. For many, working at MHS is more than just a job—it’s an investment, nurturing young lives and creating relationships and bonds that last well beyond graduation.
“We teach, model, and encourage the young ladies and give them the opportunity to show off their individual talents and abilities as they feel comfortable and ready.”
Careers That Change Lives
“I am grateful for the opportunity to help my students using the lessons I learned in the United States Army and the values instilled in MHS by our founder, Mr. Hershey.”
“I tell the kids, ‘If you are fearful,don’t let the fear freeze you.’ Overcoming challenges on the track can help students in many other aspects of life.”
“We are thankful for the strong houseparent support system that helped us be positive influences in the lives of so many students.”
“MHS really levels the playing field and gives us the opportunities we deserve and earned to be better people. The Hershey [community partners] putting in the effort to make us successful proves they are continuing our shared founders’ legacy.”
One Community with One Mission
In Hershey, Pennsylvania, we’re all family. Our Hershey community partners—The Hershey Company, Hershey Entertainment & Resorts, Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey Trust Company, and The M.S. Hershey Foundation—provide exciting opportunities for MHS students. Employees from each organization actively engage with our students, providing internship, mentorship, and leadership opportunities for students to learn, grow, find their passions, and build meaningful relationships.
“The students get experience in a Fortune 400 company, but we are getting insight into how the future workforce thinks.”
Supporting Future Leaders
new elementary students peer mentored in the Student Government Association (SGA) Buddies Program
middle school students participated in the Milton’s Middles program for new students
students participated in five student voice forums
first-year elementary students mentored by 65 staff members through the Co-Pilot program
conferences offered for additional student character and leadership opportunities
Support Breakdown
CHS achieved several major milestones in 2023-24 as it becomes a respected provider of early childhood education in Pennsylvania. These milestones included opening its first center in Hershey, completing construction on CHS Harrisburg, breaking ground on CHS Middletown, beginning construction on CHS New Danville, and preliminary construction planning on CHS Elizabethtown. Additionally, several MHS students began using the skills they learned in the classroom through our Career and Technical Education program to intern at CHS Hershey. CHS Hershey also celebrated its first “Moving On” ceremony for children transitioning to kindergarten. In addition, CHS was recognized as a thought leader in several national publications, such as The Hechinger Report and Inside Philanthropy.
2023-24 School Year Achievements
MHS Connection at CHS
Our work at Milton Hershey School is rooted in our Deed of Trust and amplified by our 2020-2025 strategic plan. Named the MILT Plan, this initiative aims to help our students overcome the barriers that poverty has placed in their lives through an emphasis on transformative education, a service-centered culture, and individualized career readiness training.
As we embark on the final school year of our current strategic plan, we have achieved tremendous breakthroughs in bringing the MILT Plan to life.
Modeling Character and Well-Being
Innovating Career-Focused Education
Leveraging Impact
Teamwork to Strengthen Community Alignment and Engagement
Look In, Reach Out, Rise Up Breakthrough
