Milton Hershey School Lifer Shares How School Changed Her Life
By Flora Awe, MHS Senior
Kiersten Collier will graduate in June with the distinction of being a Milton Hershey School lifer. MHS has had more than 600 alumni enroll in pre-K, kindergarten, or first grade. At MHS, these students earn the distinction of being a lifer once they complete their 12 years of schooling and graduate.
As we prepare to celebrate them at the school’s 91st Commencement Ceremony on Sunday, June 15, we asked several of this year’s 18 lifers what their time at MHS has meant to them.
How did MHS benefit your family?
MHS has helped my family by giving me and my younger family members who are at MHS the opportunity to grow in our individuality and receive a better education than we would have had at home.
My cousin and I were behind in our schooling at home, but when we started at MHS, we were able to receive the help we needed and catch up with our peers. Personally, I wasn’t the strongest in reading, but here, I was given one-on-one help from teachers and had hands-on experiences, which made classes very memorable for me.
What did you learn at MHS that you would not have at home?
Coming to MHS, I learned to be more independent and to work hard for what I want because not everything is handed to me. My family also helped teach me this, but it is taught differently at MHS and at home. I also learned time management due to all the busy scheduling within the school, so I had to make sure I didn’t fall behind and get burnt out.
What are your top three favorite moments here at MHS?
Elementary School: Participating in Girl Scouts after school in 3rd and 4th grade.
Middle School: Having student home picnics where my house mom would make Vietnamese food for us that she learned to make while she lived in Vietnam.
High School: Going to Germany, Sweden, and Finland as a part of our school’s International Learning Experiences program during the summer of 2023.”
What does being a lifer mean to you?
When I enrolled in 1st grade, I was behind my peers in so many ways academically and socially. So, looking back at it now, coming to MHS at such a young age and being a lifer opened so many doors for me that may not have been opened if I had stayed home. For me, being a lifer means having the ability to open doors to opportunities I wouldn’t have had at home.
Read More about the Significance of LifersLearn More about the Class of 2025