Milton Hershey School Students Excel in 2022 Cultural Celebration Essay Contest
On Aug. 17, several Milton Hershey School students were honored for placing in the 2022 Cultural Celebration Essay Contest. Christopher Koehler, Jr., who competed in the 15-18 age group, and Max Bugg and Ameruh Stevens, who competed in the 6-10 age group, were spotlighted for their achievement by the Dauphin County Commissioners at a special ceremony in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
The essay prompts for each age group were different, but each topic asked the students to reflect on cultural diversity in their own lives. Christopher Koehler, Jr., who placed first in his age group, shared his insight into how the recent pandemic affected cultures differently—especially school-aged children.
Max and Ameruh, who placed first and second in their age group respectively, were asked to share how we can celebrate diversity as a community.
Ameruh shared in her essay, “The reason we have diversity is because if we were the same person with the same abilities and cultures, life would be boring. We are all different and diversity makes the world a better place.”
For the MHS community, valuing diversity is second nature. Whether it be the diversity of thought across our campus or the many different places and cultures our students enroll from, MHS believes in the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion.
“This essay contest allowed our students to think about the world around them and how it has affected them,” shared Sharice Johnson, MHS Coordinator of Student Character and Leadership Development. “Our students embrace opportunities to share their perspectives and to offer insight on how they feel and view certain world matters around them. For our students to place really displays the passion and enthusiasm they had about the opportunity to be heard. I am beyond proud of them for their courage to gather their thoughts and write them out in a way for us all to understand and relate to.”
By providing unique opportunities for our students to share their voices and experiences, MHS community members are able to grow and share in celebrating the cultures around them.