Tatiana: Alumni
On Aug. 1, 2009 at 13 years old, I started my journey at Milton Hershey School. My name is Tatiana and, this is my MHS story.
I, unlike many of my peers, had heard about the school and sought it out on my own. Pursuing it was the easy part…Getting my mom on board was the difficult one. My mom and two brothers and me were living together in Carbondale, Pennsylvania. As a single mother it was a struggle for her to provide for all of us. I knew I wasn’t excelling in school, and I needed more support and motivation in my life. I am grateful for the sacrifice my mom made to send me to MHS. It was the best decision we both ever made.
I was only in seventh grade when I started at MHS. There was a lot more structure, discipline and accountability than I had ever before dealt with in my life.
My houseparents, who I lived within a home with eight to ten other girls around my age, were always caring and supportive. To this day, I still confide in them. Houseparents and staff are here for us and they are really dedicated to ensuring this experience is the best that it can be. The constant support helps me feel more confident for my future.
I made it my mission to get involved in as many clubs and activities as I could at MHS. I’m currently a high school senior. I’m the student government vice president and the president of the National Honor Society. I also play piano and cello and taught myself the ukulele! I also dance, tap, and am involved in jazz. I’ve started ballet, and I’m really involved in the arts. As you can imagine, I do not have much free time…I like to keep busy! I take advantage of all the opportunities the school provides me.
If I weren’t at MHS I would not be the person I am today. I did not have the drive that I have now to succeed, and I didn’t have the resources that I would need to succeed in the first place.
I’m grateful for so much because my life would be so different without the school, especially the people I’ve met here who have changed my life.