MHS Students Give Back to Community in Need This Summer

This summer, approximately 50 Milton Hershey School high school students traveled to Uniontown, Pennsylvania for domestic service learning experiences. Uniontown is located in Fayette County where the poverty rate is more than 20 percent, according to the U.S. Census.

Students spent multiple days creating meal boxes at a Fayette County food bank, restoring the landscaping at a community center, and interacting with locals by organizing children’s programming at a library.

“There have been times where my family was close to not being able to put food on the table. I definitely feel like what we’re doing can help somebody’s life,” said Sairah Tolomei, an MHS freshman. “We planted a garden, and that could really help someone in need to put food on their table.”

MHS admissions counselors also traveled to Uniontown to share information about the school with local families and answer questions about creating successful futures for their children. MHS students were able to use their experiences growing up in poverty to empathize with many of the families who attended the admissions event.

“Service is so important to me because being a student here at MHS, I have been given so much,” Sairah added. “I want to make sure other kids can get the same opportunity I did.”

Through the domestic service learning experience, Milton Hershey School students learn to empathize with others, give back to the communities around them, and gain strong character and leadership skills.

“Milton Hershey started the school for kids who needed love, food, clothing and an education,” said Tristan Miller, an MHS staff member and group leader for the trip. “I think it’s a great opportunity for our students to give back in the same exact way.”

View photos from the trip: