Milton Hershey School Everyday Hero: Candace Knoll
MHS Everyday Hero: A campaign acknowledging employees at MHS who are often found behind the scenes and show up every day to make a difference in the lives of our students.
Candace Knoll, MHS Middle Division Home Life Senior Administrative Secretary
Supervisor Quote:
“Much of Candace’s outstanding work is typically done “behind the scenes” performing all of the necessary duties to ultimately help our team be most effective and function well. In addition, Candace has also excelled in championing school-wide events such as Milton’s Christmas Workshop and the Middle Division annual food drives for many years. For more than 20 years, Candace Knoll has positively impacted and played a critical role in the overall success of hundreds of students and houseparents across all three Home Life divisions at Milton Hershey School!”—DJ Hedrick, MHS Middle Division Home Life Director
Knoll Q&A:
What brought you to MHS?
I grew up in the Central Pennsylvania area and in early 2000, I decided to look into the school and find out what it was all about. At that time, I was a single mother, raising two children and felt this would be the perfect fit for me. I felt that I could relate to some of the parents/sponsors who had the opportunity to enroll their children to MHS.
How has COVID-19 impacted your role here?
The COVID-19 pandemic has made visiting student homes difficult. I miss seeing the students outside of school in their student home setting. Instead, I donated one of the student home Welcome Back baskets after Christmas Break. It was awesome to receive their thank you video and pictures of the students utilizing all the items included in the basket.
What is your favorite aspect of the MHS community?
The feeling of community. Middle Division Home Life is now located on Legacy Campus and it truly feels like a community—from administrative staff to houseparents and students—we are there for one another.
What is your favorite memory at MHS?
I was a bus monitor for years and because I was a constant face on the bus, I was able to get to know many parents/sponsors. About two years after one student graduated, I bumped into her sponsor. He recognized me and came over to talk about how well she was doing in college. He said that Milton Hershey School helped her to succeed in the real world. It made me feel very proud to be a part of something that can have such an impact on a child and their family.
Tell us something about your job that few people know?
I have been an integral part of Milton’s Christmas Workshop since its inception. I love the workshop and the opportunity to help students find Christmas presents for their families at home.
Are you an Everyday Hero? Do you know someone who is deserving of this title? Email us their name and title at Milton Hershey School