Milton Hershey School Students and Staff Celebrate Black History Month
Between ethnicity, background, and experiences, Milton Hershey School students and staff are a diverse community that is deeply rooted in celebrating our differences. This year, during Black History Month, MHS students, teachers, Home Life staff, and more came together to celebrate Black history.
One MHS Elementary Division class learned about a different Black history maker during their morning meetings. The students studied the significance of each person through several activities and discussed how their significance has changed the world we live in today. The activities and conversations gave the students time to reflect on how they can celebrate the advances of Black leaders—not just during Black History Month—but every day.
Middle Division students also took part in several learning opportunities to grow their knowledge of influential Black icons in history. The Student Government Association put together videos on lesser-known figures in the Black community that students watched each morning. MHS eighth graders created posters, learned about National Freedom Day—which honors the signing of the 13th amendment—and studied texts from Black writers. Fifth-grade students researched Sojourner Truth, George Washington Carver, and many others, learning about their character and what made them unique individuals.
Senior Division students created posters and banners celebrating the history of the Black community which hung in school buildings throughout the month. Students and Home Life staff took part in Hershey community activities and watched movies that celebrated events in Black history. During lunch, high school students were given the opportunity to explore and learn about Black history makers—such as Bill Russell, NBA legend, and Arthur Ashe, the first African American man to win the U.S. Open, the Australian Open, and Wimbledon. Students also took part in various creative lessons in their classes throughout the month to help develop a greater knowledge and understanding of Black history.
The celebration of Black history doesn’t stop in February for MHS students and staff. MHS is committed to celebrating the diversity inside and outside of our community.