Milton Hershey School Middle Schoolers Explore Engineering with College Students

Starting in Middle Division, Milton Hershey School begins preparing fifth- through eighth-grade students for life after graduation. Students dive into career exploration through field trips, job shadowing, and guest speakers. By the time students are ready to enter high school, they will have had the opportunity to chose a career pathway in the MHS Career and Technical Education program.

On Monday, Nov. 15, MHS eighth graders met with Penn State University’s Engineering Ambassadors to learn about what it takes to become an engineer. MHS students gained an understanding of what college looks like and how engineers solve problems using Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) curriculum.

“This in-person event allowed MHS students to discover what it takes to be an engineer including the types of schooling necessary as well as other essential skills such as teamwork and problem solving,” said Tyler Goehringer, MHS Eighth-Grade Science Teacher.

The Penn State students led several MHS classes through three engineering design challenges including prosthetic limbs, parachute drops, and airplane wings. During each challenge, MHS students used physics and a variety of engineering practices to test their designs.

“Eighth graders had the opportunity to literally explore with their own hands about a possible future career in engineering before entering high school,” Goehringer said.

At MHS, high school students gain hands-on experience in the CTE Engineering and Design career pathway by obtaining computer application and software skills before graduation. These guest speakers gave our students, who plan to study engineering, architecture, or advanced design in college, an inside look into their futures.

Learn More About the Career and Technical Education program at MHS