Dr. King’s Legacy Inspires Today’s Students at Milton Hershey School
The blanket of snow around Founders Hall contrasted with the renewed warmth inside its auditorium as the Milton Hershey School community gathered to honor the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Through powerful words and moving Visual and Performing Arts presentations, attendees came for an assembly, but left with a challenge: to see Dr. King not merely as a historical figure, but as someone whose story is still being told through each of us.
Special Assistant to the President for Inclusion and Belonging Fonati Abrokwa ’01 underscored the significance of this annual gathering and how Our Pledge calls the MHS community to model the very ideals Dr. King lived out.
“Both Dr. King and the Pledge affirm that personal character is foundational and that progress happens when individuals hold themselves accountable while also encouraging growth in others,” Abrokwa said.
As Abrokwa’s words settled over the room, they set the stage for Judy Agyepong ’02 to reiterate those values in a special way. She captivated everyone from the moment she sang the first note of “If I Can Help Somebody.” Her dynamic, soulful tone drew every listener into the heart of the song. When she sang the phrase, “If I can live like the Master taught, then my living shall not be in vain,” the message of service and compassion was met with unmistakable weight. Her voice moved with such emotion and sincerity that the audience hung on to every note as if they each carried their own call to action.
Abrokwa returned to the podium to share a personal memory from her time as a Middle Division student, when Dr. King’s wife, the late Corretta Scott King, visited MHS. Even at that young age, the encounter—and the challenge she received—left an impact she has not forgotten. The charge Mrs. King gave to her and her classmates then is the same charge she extended to all MHS students in attendance: change belongs to young people. They were the difference makers in Dr. King’s time, and they remain the voices that drive change today.
“Living out Dr. King’s legacy does not require a microphone or a march,” Abrokwa said. “It starts with how we treat one another every day.”
Performances from New Horizons and the Spartan Dancers brought students’ talents to the forefront, reinforcing the kinds of growth experiences MHS is committed to providing. These opportunities echo Dr. King’s dream in nurturing the potential within every young person.
Randy and Julie Mladenoff, retired MHS houseparents, introduced the event’s keynote speaker, Michele Y. Smith ’90. Before highlighting the alumna’s distinguished career, they spoke about their time as her Middle Division houseparents—a role that allowed them to watch her grow into the accomplished leader she is today.
Smith is the CEO of the Museum of Pop Culture in Seattle, Washington, where she serves as a visionary leader and cultural strategist. In her role, she encourages museumgoers to see the institution as more than just a collection of artifacts but as an opportunity to think differently and engage in diverse conversations. In her keynote address, she reflected on her time as an MHS student and shared how the values instilled in her here shaped her sense of responsibility to inspire others to live out Dr. King’s example in their own lives.
“Dr. King believed that education was a vital component of freedom,” Smith said. “As you pursue your studies, remember that knowledge is not just a means to an end but an opportunity to empower yourselves and those around you.”
Today’s MHS students stand at the intersection of two powerful legacies, carrying forward Milton and Catherine Hershey’s hope for children’s futures and Dr. King’s vision for a more just and compassionate world. As they left Founders Hall, one question remained: How will they continue what these leaders began?
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