In Reverence and Remembrance: Milton Hershey School Honors its Fallen Heroes

On Friday, May 22, Founders Hall once again welcomed the Milton Hershey School community within its walls to honor the men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to the nation. As the Presentation of Colors opened the ceremony, followed by the National Anthem performed by New Horizons, everyone in attendance could sense that the stories they would soon hear would profoundly impact them.

MHS Vice President of Communications and Marketing Kristina Pae welcomed students and staff—reminding the audience that Memorial Day is both an act of remembrance and a call to live with intention. Her words not only invited the MHS community to see themselves within the history being presented before them, but the red poppies worn by all served as a powerful visual thread of something greater. Emerging from the battle-scarred fields of World War I and immortalized in the poem In Flanders Fields, the red poppy stands as a reminder that even in the wake of devastation, life endures and memory persists.

“This poem and Our Pledge pass the torch to us, calling each of us to action,” Pae said. “As we begin our assembly, I invite you to continue reflecting on the meaning behind this simple red flower and how it is a powerful symbol of hope.”

Musical performances by the Senior High Spartan Band beautifully complemented the morning’s tone of reflection and set the stage for a powerful keynote address by MHS Media Relations Manager Dave Vagnoni.

As he spoke, Vagnoni’s words painted a deeply personal picture, drawing the audience into a childhood memory at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., where he stood beside his father—a veteran who rarely spoke about his experience but whose quiet search for familiar names at the time revealed the lasting weight of service and sacrifice.

“I watched my dad scan the granite…until he found the names he was searching for. It was the first time I could ever remember my dad crying,” Vagnoni shared.

He connected that experience to the broader legacy of service, noting that the Vietnam Memorial includes the names of 14 MHS Gold Star Alumni, as well as this year’s feature Gold Star Alumnus, Victor Kuhns ‘62, who died just days before his 22nd birthday.

“Today is for Victor and for the dreams he never realized…the memories he never made,” Vagnoni said.

He urged students to extend grace, reject judgment, and serve others—reminding them that the promise of Our Pledge is fulfilled not in ceremonies alone, but through action.

“We’ve heard the expression that freedom isn’t free. Do you know what is? Kindness,” he said. “Kindness is free to give—and yet it is one of the most valuable commodities in the universe.”

The assembly then turned to the story of this year’s featured Gold Star Alumnus, Victor Kuhns, whose life was shared by MHS Manager of School History Alicia Schlossberg.

Kuhns came to MHS with his brothers after the loss of their father, building a life defined by close family bonds, leadership, and care for others. At MHS, he developed a passion for baking, became co-captain of the cheerleading team, and maintained deep friendships, writing frequently to his mother about his life and experiences.

After graduation, Kuhns was drafted into the U.S. Army and served as a cook in Vietnam. He died in 1966 at just 21 years old.

As the ceremony drew toward its most solemn moment, seniors read aloud the names of all 57 Gold Star Alumni. As the sound of those names filled the room, students sat in stillness beneath them, reminded that this legacy is not distant history, but one entrusted to them to carry forward through the way they live and uphold the promise of Our Pledge.

Following the solomn ceremony, the MHS Senior Class of 2026 processed outside and to the Hershey Cemetery. There, they honored our founders and Gold Star Alumni who are buried there with flower wreaths, a prayer, and the playing of Echo Taps.