Milton Hershey School Promotes Fourth Graders to Middle School

One hundred and eighteen Milton Hershey School fourth graders celebrated the conclusion of their time in Elementary Division on Friday, June 13 during the school’s annual Promotion Ceremony in Memorial Hall. 

“Students, you have grown in so many ways this year, not just in what you’ve learned but in who you’ve become,” MHS Elementary Division Principal Amanda Smith said at the beginning of the event. “This class has truly raised the bar this school year. You met every challenge with courage and curiosity.”   

Smith touted the students’ willingness to embrace the MHS Sacred Values of Integrity, Commitment to Mission, Mutual Respect, and Positive Spirit.  

Next year, the students will attend classes in Catherine Hall. MHS Middle Division Assistant Principal Danielle Peirson welcomed the rising fifth graders to their new building. 

“We know this is a big transition for the fourth-grade class, but we have many supports and resources in place to help them continue to be successful here,” Peirson said.

Robin Brantley-Case, MHS Elementary Division Home Life Director, told the students that the lessons they learned at Memorial Hall built a foundation for their future years.“Elementary Division Home Life wishes each of our rising fifth graders well and encourages them  to take all they have learned and their positive memories on their journey to middle school, and ultimately to their Senior Division years at MHSl,” Brantley-Case said.  

Forty-one members of the class are on their way to becoming MHS lifers, graduates who enrolled in the school in pre-K, kindergarten, or first grade. Smith credited the students’ families for their support during their years at MHS. 

Administrators presented students with several awards, including the coveted Visionary Award. The honor is bestowed upon students who exemplify character traits valued by the school’s founders, Milton and Catherine Hershey. MHS Alumnus Maurice Sanko created the award. Sanko served in the Air Force, founded a printing company, and later became a houseparent.  

“The Visionary Award winners must be role models to their peers, show empathy, and care for others beyond the ordinary,” Smith said. 

Visionary Award winners this year were Phoenix Peterson-King, Petra Rhoades, Angela Slater, and Kamso Ebiringa-Chika.  

At the conclusion of the ceremony, MHS Assistant Principal Travis Smith thanked parents/sponsors, teachers, and staff members for their commitment to the students’ success.

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