Summer Success: FOX43 Chronicles the Milton Hershey School Spartan Internship Program

Featuring MHS seniors Ally Barrows and Jaison Nieves

In 2021, learning continued well into the summer for Milton Hershey School students Ally Barrows and Jaison Nieves. As Spartan interns, the rising seniors got a head start on their careers, receiving real-world experience and advice from professionals at Hershey Entertainment & Resorts (HE&R) and MHS. Their summer stories were featured by FOX43 reporter Andrew Kalista, who visited MHS to report on the Spartan Internship program and its positive, lasting impact.

Ally interned virtually with Michael Krall, director of internal controls and process optimization at HE&R, gaining skills in accounting. Interested in a career in sports broadcasting, Jaison interned virtually with Zack Fisch, the play-by-play voice of the Hershey Bears.

“I am just extremely grateful to have the opportunity to work with Zack and to see his insight,” Jaison said.

Added Zack: “Jaison is really sharp. He wants to be in the sports world and we’ve discussed that is all encompassing and could cover many different sports.”

To prioritize safety during the pandemic, Ally and Jaison spent mornings on Zoom with their HE&R mentors and afternoons working with MHS staff in related career fields.

“Doing this internship will benefit me in the future and gets me ready for life after MHS,” Ally said.

While Ally and Jaison were highlighted on FOX43, several other Spartan interns wrote about their summer learning in an online Q&A series on mhskids.org, click below.

During the 2020-21 school year and summer season, 68 MHS students participated in an internship or co-op. In the spring of 2021, MHS also launched a semester internship option on campus for high schoolers to help them gain authentic work experience.

As they start their senior years, Ally and Jaison are looking forward to college and continuing to build on their summer success. They plan to keep in touch with their HE&R mentors to fulfill their career dreams. Said Jaison in the FOX43 piece: “I see Zack’s enthusiasm and I want to have the same thing.”

Watch the News StoryRead the Spartan Internship program series