News Release
MHS students experience Alternative Spring Break
Friday, April 23, 2010
A group of ten Milton Hershey School? students spent their Spring Break in the Outer Banks, but they weren't lounging on the beach. The juniors and seniors spent three days painting hundreds of shingles for a Coast Guard building on Hatteras Island as part of the Alternative Spring Break (ASB) program.
Typically an activity sponsored by colleges, universities, and secondary schools, ASB was designed to teach the students the importance of service and civic engagement.
"Milton Hershey School instills in its students the need to give back to their communities, so bringing the ASB program to our campus was a good fit," said College & Career Counselor Abbey Wascovich, who helped coordinate the trip.
The National Park Service coordinated the project and provided housing for the students during their three-day stay. Students painted hundreds of cedar shingles, and completed a total of 15 hours of service.
"The trip was a real eye opener for all of us," said Senior Bruce Watson. "It showed us that Milton Hershey is only one small part of the world. I think that everyone should have a chance to discover this."
At the end of the experience, each student designed a shingle that captured the learning, experiences, and memories they wanted to take with them from the trip. They also rated statements about their experience.
The top two comments that students expressed at the end of this experience, besides the importance of service, was the effectiveness of team building and making new friends with students on campus they never associated with before.
Milton Hershey School's mission is to nurture and educate children in social and financial need to lead fulfilling and productive lives. It is a special place where children can open doors to a brighter future. To learn more about who may attend Milton Hershey School, or to find out how you can become part of this noble mission, visit www.mhs-pa.org.?
Milton Hershey School Junior Christina Frazier paints a shingle for a Coast Guard building on Hatteras Island during an Alternative Spring Break Program.
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Contact: Office of Communications, (717) 520-2205
