Milton Hershey School Welcomes Former CHS Students

During a recent Milton Hershey School enrollment day, two children made history by becoming the first Catherine Hershey Schools for Early Learning students to enroll at MHS. Kingston Wilson and Keyala Snowden-Gore will continue their educational journey after “Moving On” from CHS Hershey and transitioning to MHS. Kingston and Keyala’s parents/sponsors said the former CHS students benefitted from CHS Hershey’s whole-child approach to education while they took advantage of the family success supports.

“He relates a lot better to other children since he started at CHS,” Kingston’s parent/sponsor, Ashley Weckerly, said.

Weckerly acknowledged it was difficult to send Kingston to school at age three. Still, she knew children who attend high-quality Early Childhood Education Centers are more likely to succeed in the future because they already have academic, social, emotional, and self-care skills.

Keyala’s parent/sponsor, Dashia Snowden-Edmonds, was also drawn to CHS for its exceptional education. She appreciated the support she and her family received through the CHS Family Success program. Dedicated family success advocates provide comprehensive family support services with the goal of establishing safe, strong, financially stable homes. The program is delivered though an on-site Family Success Center and by connecting families to local resources.

“We all worked together to help Keyala grow,” Snowden-Edmonds said.

MHS Senior Director of Enrollment Management & Family Relations Shaun Turner said family success advocates were key partners in helping Kingston and Keyala smoothly transition to MHS. Turner noted families from under-resourced and overburdened backgrounds often need several years to see the results of their hard work, which builds a solid foundation for life.

CHS families are empowered and supported in identifying the local kindergarten of their choosing with support from their dedicated family success advocate. While CHS children are not automatically admitted to MHS, they are invited to apply for admission as they explore all schooling options.

“Enrolling children in MHS after CHS gives those families the opportunity to continue building on the skills they acquired through the CHS Family Success program while knowing their child is being given the best opportunities in education,” Turner said.

Weckerly and Snowden-Edmonds said sending their children to a residential school was not an easy decision, but they appreciate how the MHS Family Relations team works hard to help parents/sponsors stay connected to their children through regular communication, visits, and on-campus family weekends.

“MHS is a dynamic educational institution where caring houseparents, high-quality teachers, and outstanding professionals come together to offer life-changing opportunities to our students,” said Dr. Freda Martine, MHS Senior Vice President of Education and Student Life. “Kingston and Keyala have a strong foundation thanks to their time at CHS and we are excited to walk with them as they continue their educational journey.”

Kingston and Keyala may be the first to benefit from a CHS and MHS education, but Turner said they are blazing a trail for students who will follow in their path. CHS families who want to explore MHS as a possibility for the next step in their child’s educational journey can visit www.mhskids.org/admissions to learn more.