Transitional Services was created in 2005 to provide better coordination of programs and services relating to post-secondary planning and transition support. The Transition Services team includes college & career counseling, the Alliance Schools Program, the Continuing Education Scholarship Program (CES), the Spartan Internship program, the student work program, and transition support for our young alumni five years following graduation.

The college and career staff is composed of nine counselors. One counselor works exclusively with the students transitioning into high school in 9th grade and is also responsible for the Spartan Internship program. The remaining college/career counselors are assigned to one or more of the eleven career technical areas. They begin following the students in 10th grade and continue through the second year after graduation from the Milton Hershey School. After that time, they continue to be available to provide assistance and support as necessary.

Counselorsworking with 10th grade students and up are assigned additional duties. One of the counselors coordinates the student work programs, which are divided into three parts: (1) the cooperative education program--students go out during their senior year and work 1/2 of each school day in the career/technical field that they have had training in and earned a certification, (2) the diversified occupations program--students complete a seminar in the fall semester preparing them to go into the world of work and then in the spring semester, get a job in a field of interest for a 1/2 day each school day, and (3) the student work program--students work in the Hershey area after classes and weekends.

Another counselor's additional duty is to maintain a partnership with the 60+ schools who are members of the Milton Hershey School (MHS) alliance program. This is completed through phone calls and when the alliance school representatives participate in the alliance fairs which are held in September and March of each school year.

Two members of the department oversee the financial aid that students can earn during their four years in high school. These coordinators oversee the Continuing Education Scholarship (CES) by coordinating payments to post secondary schools. They ensure that the graduates continue to meet the guidelines of the CES.

Transition Services team members include:

Robert Kemmery - Director, Career/Technical Education & Transition Services
(717) 520-2805
kemmeryr@mhs-pa.org

Arthur Kline - Associate Director, Transition Services
Coordinates Career Counseling and serves as a Career Counselor
(800) 655-6707 / (717) 520-2815
kline@mhs-pa.org

Jonette "Jonnie" Wells - Senior Administrative Secretary, Transition Services
(800) 655-6707 / (717) 520-2802
wellsj@mhs-pa.org

Linda Jones - Senior Administrative Secretary, College & Career
(800) 655-6707 / (717) 520-2812
jonesl@mhs-pa.org

Linda Armstrong - Career Counselor
(800) 655-6707 / (717) 520-2814
armstrongl@mhs-pa.org

Elizabeth Benito - Career Counselor & Coordinator, Post-Secondary Partnerships
(800) 655-6707 / (717) 520-3306
benitoe@mhs-pa.org

Leigh Farrar-Freeman - Career Counselor
(800) 655-6707 / (717) 520-2910
farrarfreemanl@mhs-pa.org

Daniel "Keith" Jones - Career Counselor
(800) 655-6707 / (717) 520-2438
jonesd@mhs-pa.org

Rebekah Manney - Career Counselor
(800) 655-6707 / (717) 520-2994
manneyr@mhs-pa.org

Nathaniel Martin - Career Counselor
(800) 655-6707 / (717) 520-2039
martinn@mhs-pa.org

Edward Rafferty - Career Counselor
(800) 655-6707 / (717) 520-2815
raffertye@mhs-pa.org

Abbey Wascovich - Career Counselor
(800) 655-6707 / (717) 520-2439
wascovicha@mhs-pa.org

Wil Zapata - Career Counselor
(800) 655-6707 / (717) 520-2813
zapata@mhs-pa.org

Mark Zerbe - Career Counselor & Coordinator, Coopeerative Work Experiences
(800) 655-6707 / (717) 520-2932
zerbem@mhs-pa.org

BethAnne Bowen - Student Work Programs Assistant
(717) 520-2935
bowenb@mhs-pa.org

Ken Brown - Financial Aid Coordinator
(800) 655-6707 / (717) 520-2036
brownk@mhs-pa.org

Sherry Youtz - Financial Aid Assistant
(717) 520-2932
youtzs@mhs-pa.org

Helpful links for MHS Students and Graduates:

bls.gov/oco (career)
doleta.gov/programs/onet (career)
Monster.com (career)
Consumer Credit & Budget Counseling (credit/debt assistance)
National Foundation for Credit Counseling (credit counseling)
collegegrad.com (employment)
Peace Corps (employment)
fafsa.ed.gov (financial aid)
Fastweb (financial aid)
personalbudgeting.com (personal finances)
aesmentor.org (post-secondary education)
College Board (post-secondary education)
Youcandealwithit.com (transition issues)

Transition Services, PO Box 830, Hershey, PA 17033
FAX number: Transition Services – (717) 520-2033
FAX number: College & Career Office, Senior Hall – (717) 520-2894