MHS Lifer Appreciates Amazing Opportunities
Tanysha Pastor will graduate in June with the amazing opportunity 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 at least 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 lifers what their time at MHS has meant to them.
What were your early years like at MHS?
I don’t remember a lot from my early years, but I do remember how much I enjoyed my student home. I had so much fun hanging out with the students in my student home, playing games and going outside. We were outside most of the time, and we always found something to do. I am also so grateful that I stayed close with a lot of the students who were there.
How has MHS helped your family?
MHS has helped my family in so many ways. Being at this school helped me get away from a bad environment and helped my mom be less stressed and able to get more things done. Another significant benefit that helped my family was how being here brought us closer to God.
What are things you learned at a young age at MHS that you wouldn’t have back at home?
When I was in Elementary Division, my houseparents taught me how to eat at the table in a proper manner, how to have good time management, and how to do chores properly.
What does being a lifer mean to you?
Being a lifer means that even though I have less experience than others in the “real world,” I have still learned so much here that can help me outside of this school. I have had many amazing opportunities at this school that I wouldn’t have had if I hadn’t attended for so long.
What is one piece of advice you would give a new student who is enrolling at a young age?
Advice I would give to new students is to come in with an open mind and be yourself, regardless of the pressure you feel from those around you. Get out of your comfort zone and do new things you wouldn’t have been able to do outside of MHS.
What is the biggest takeaway after attending MHS for so long? What are you most excited about in the future?
My biggest takeaway is to use all the lessons, knowledge, and my relationship with God to do amazing things after I graduate. Being here helped me realize that I can get through anything big or small, and with the help of God, I can trust in him to lead me to the right paths in life.