What It’s Like Being a New Student at MHS
By Taylor, an MHS freshman
What is Milton Hershey School? Who is the school for?
The true answer to this question is simple: ME.
I was brought up in a low-income family with the wish of being a veterinarian, which was squashed when I learned the amount of money it would take to get there. But then I was admitted to Milton Hershey School by my mother.
MHS is unlike any other school. They put the poor first—people like me.
The first day of school at MHS was good. Many people were willing to help out the freshmen and the kids who were new.
Our assistant principal could be seen directing the freshmen where they needed to go, and other teachers could be seen doing the same. Not only that, students were helping others.
I was dropped off at the famous fish fountain on campus not knowing what would happen. The girls in my student home went off to see their friends, but I ended up standing in the back. At that point, I was angry. All my life I’ve had anger problems and for some reason I was angry.
But not long after, a girl walked up to me and said, “Hi. I’m Lydia.” I answered and she led me to her group of friends. From then on, I had someone to talk to.
My favorite thing about this school has been the career pathways. You want to be a mechanic but you also want to see what police work is like? You can try them both and two others during your freshman year. Later on, you can choose one of them.
You like sports? You can choose from a wide range of sports—swimming, soccer, wrestling. The list goes on.
And if you’re not an athlete but you still want to do some activities, there’s an even a longer list: horsemanship, orchestra, band, guitar, and mentorship programs. There are endless opportunities.
Your life here may not always be the one you want, but think about your future. What do you want to do when you finish school? Do you want to go to college? Before you go to college, do you want to gain some experience? Do you want to have a chance to go on international trips?
These were the questions I was asked. And I answered them.
And now, here I am at Milton Hershey School.
