For Your Reading Pleasure: The Milton Hershey School

Not enough people know of Quinn’s incredible job, so we thought we’d share a little back story on the Milton Hershey School, how Quinn got the position, and what exactly he does on a daily basis.

Unless you have a dairy allergy or a strong aversion to anything sweet, you have encountered some brand of Hershey Chocolate. The company has become an icon in the candy industry since it’s more humble beginnings in the early 20th century. Expanding to include Ice Breakers Gum, Twizzlers, and even Reese’s, Hershey Co. represents more than just a simple milk chocolate bar. Hershey’s achieved international fame long ago, and people all across the world see Hershey’s as a symbol not only for chocolate, but for America! How did this happen? Lucky for you I am the resident historian of Domestic Affections and I can give you a brief narrative of the “sweetest place on earth.”

Thank goodness for the earnestness of Milton Snavley Hershey! After an apprenticeship in Lancaster he made several attempts at candy making in Philadelphia, New York and Chicago. While aimlessly meandering at the 1893 World’s Fair in Chicago after yet another failed attempt, Hershey noticed a Swiss gentleman detailing the chocolate making process. Smitten by the German chocolate, but discouraged by the expense, Milton S. Hershey returned to the Lancaster area to experiment with his own chocolate recipe. Using farm fresh milk from those Amish Lancaster County farms, Hershey created the perfect formula and he resolved to make his creamy delight accessible to the masses.

Hershey had a strong sense of moral obligation to the community in which he lived, so he didn’t stop with the manufacturing plant when the building began, he instead created an entire town. Up went homes, a church, a theater, a community center, and of course, a park!

His philanthropy did not stop there, because he and his wife were unable to have children, they opened a school for orphaned boys. With no heir to the Hershey fortune, Milton Hershey decided to bestow his entire fortune to what is now called the Milton S. Hershey School. Every time you buy a Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Bar, a bag of Reese’s Pieces, or even a Jolly Rancher, part of your purchase goes to the school which has grown to include over 1500 boys and girls from Kindergarten to 12th grade.

The students can live at the school year round if their home life is less than desirable, and in most cases the students come from very low-income homes and have one or less living (or present) parents. While on campus the students live in Student Homes with their “house parents” and everything is provided for: food, clothing, medical and dental expenses, and eventually a college education. But getting them to that point is quite the task: each student home houses about 10-15 same sex students of relative age. Could you imagine parenting 10-15 pubescent boys or girls? The horror! But someone’s gotta do it… And someone has to educate them as well.

In comes Quinn, Senior Hall business teacher extraordinaire and Boys Basketball Coach! Quinn teaches several business classes to 10th through 12th graders which include Personal Finance and basic computer skills. Not every student is motivated to learn, but Quinn joyfully plays his part in equipping these kids with what they need to succeed in the world. He helps to certify students in Microsoft applications for on the job skills, he tutors any student who wants it after school, and he supports his students with their extracurriculars attending piano concerts and even devoting his time to Relay-for-Life events.

Then we have basketball (one of the reasons I am in Arizona right now)…. Quinn loves basketball. Loves. Loves. Loves basketball. With an incredible capability to read a game, memorize plays, and create his own, Quinn is an excellent coach. Right now, he’s relegated to an assistant position (but heads the J.V. team), so he doesn’t get to stretch his basketball mind to it’s full potential. And then there are the hours which you got a taste of in the last post. Long hours, lots of games, and even more practices keep Quinn away from home for 80% of the basketball season. But Quinn is committed to these kids, and he is equally as passionate about their success on the court as he is in their success in the classroom. Quinn gained such valuable skills from playing basketball; discipline and teamwork are just as important for a successful life as a certificate in Microsoft Office.

Through His perfect timing, God made it clear that He wanted Quinn at the Milton Hershey School. The selection process for the teachers is incredibly competetive, but Quinn got his foot in the door early. While he was completing his student teaching at a nearby high school, a long term substitute position in the business department opened up. Quinn applied, and with those charming good looks, got the substitute job for the entire spring semester. While subbing, Quinn got wind that one of the business teachers planned to retire after the school year, and he applied as soon as the position opened up. After three months of some back and forth and uncertainty, Quinn was offered the position out of hundreds of applicants!  It’s incredible to think that Quinn was able to take the necessary classes the summer after graduating from Messiah in order to start student teaching so quickly, and that this job opened up at the time it did. Stephanie Perrault, a family friend, blogs about her experience as a baseball wife and she has lots of good things to say about His timing as well!

And now we leave you with some Scripture reassuring us that God fulfills His will in perfect time! Amen!

For still the vision awaits its appointed time;
   it hastens to the end—it will not lie.
If it seems slow, wait for it;
   it will surely come; it will not delay. Habakkuk 2:3 (ESV)

And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment—to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ. Ephesians 1:9-10 (NSV).