MHS Law, Public Safety, and Security: Where Future Advocates Find Their Voice
By Audie Ortiz, MHS Senior
I was a seventh grader when I first stepped into the Milton Hershey School Law, Public Safety, and Security classroom. As the doors opened, it felt less like a school setting and more like a working courtroom. Inside, Senior Division students were conducting a mock trial, taking on the roles of judge, stenographer, attorneys, witnesses, and jurors while presenting evidence before the court. All I could think was, “Wow. This is real.”
As the trial unfolded, my fascination only grew. The courtroom simulation felt so authentic that I became fully immersed in the proceedings. Just beyond the judge’s bench was a mock apartment crime scene where students learned forensic investigation techniques. By the end of the experience, I knew I had found my place.
Looking back, I think LPSS felt like the perfect fit amongst all the Career and Technical Education program areas at MHS because I’ve always wanted to advocate for others. I’ve long been told I talk a lot, but even more than that, I want to be someone who speaks up for others. I’ve seen firsthand how legal decisions affect people and families. I know what it’s like to have to tell your story and hope someone understands your side. Those experiences, coupled with what I’ve learned in LPSS, have taught me that this profession is not about yourself. It’s about the person you’re representing and the impact your work can have on that person’s life.
Now, as an upperclassman, I think about the younger students walking into the LPSS classroom for the first time just like I once did. When they watch us conduct a mock trial, I hope they feel the same excitement I felt. I hope they see what is possible for themselves. I feel honored knowing that maybe a younger student will see me playing a judge on the bench and think, “I can do that too.” It feels like passing down a torch.
The experiences in LPSS have been incredible, but what has made the biggest impact on me are the people.
One of my favorite memories was earning my CPR certification. I was nervous, but the instructors, Mr. and Mrs. Zweifach, helped me through every step of the process. They were some of the kindest people I have ever met. What stood out was how much they truly cared about me, and I credit their support as a major reason I can hold that certification today.
That’s the kind of person I want to be in my own career someday. I don’t want to wake up and think, “I have to go to work.” I want to think, “Today I get to do something that helps somebody else.”
That CPR training changed my life. I’ll remember it forever.
LPSS has also exposed me to opportunities I never would have experienced otherwise. We’ve visited courthouses, fire stations, and police departments. We’ve learned from police officers, security professionals, firefighters, lawyers, judges, and forensic scientists. I’ve met with police K-9 teams and learned about emergency response. I even got to see the MHS campus from the top of a fire truck ladder.
Being an LPSS student confirmed my desire to be a lawyer someday. More importantly, it has helped me build relationships, confidence, and leadership skills that I’ll carry with me long after graduation. It has taught me how to communicate, how to work with a team, and how to best advocate for others. I honestly don’t know if I would express myself as confidently as I do today without LPSS. Post commencement, I hope to attend college and eventually become an immigration lawyer. That’s the goal I’ve had for years, and LPSS has helped me see that goal more clearly than ever before.
LPSS is about so much more than law enforcement, courtrooms, and certifications. The classroom itself is incredible, from the simulated courtroom to the forensic investigation space. Hearing from guest speakers who bring decades of real-world experience is something I don’t take for granted. Earning my Incident Command Response certification before even attending college is an opportunity I’ll always be grateful for.
But if there’s one thing I want other students to know about LPSS, it’s that the program is really about the people. It’s about the classmates beside you, the relationships you build, and instructors like Mr. Robertson who challenge you to think critically, support one another, and understand what it means to serve others with integrity. More than anything, it’s about becoming part of a team and learning that justice is about people just as much as it is about the law.
LPSS helps students discover who they want to become, and I can’t wait to see what my future holds because of it.