Milton Hershey School Touches Throughout Hershey's Chocolatetown

Date: July 24, 2025

Hershey Entertainment & Resorts (HE&R) is proud to help fulfill the dream of our founder, Milton S. Hershey, by providing value to Milton Hershey School (MHS) in its mission of helping students lead fulfilling and productive lives - just as Mr. Hershey intended. 

While many of our guests may know our special connection to MHS, they may not realize that the Hershey's Chocolatetown region at Hersheypark features special projects done in partnership with MHS.

Project Background

At MHS, all students enroll in the Career and Technical Education (CTE) program. These classes include areas such as Agriculture/Natural Resources, Automotive Technology, Business/Financial Management, Culinary Arts, and Computer Science. The CTE curriculum gives students the opportunity for hands-on work in the classroom, and via internships and apprenticeships. HE&R is proud to host MHS student interns, co-ops, and apprentices throughout the school year and summer with HE&R team members serving as supervisors in careers aligned with the CTE area.

Over the last several years, MHS students and HE&R mentors have worked on many projects, with a focus on Hersheypark's newest region, Hershey's Chocolatetown. When you visit Hershey's Chocolatetown, be sure to check out this collaborative work. 

1. Milton Hershey School Arrival Experience

Located near Tram Circle in Hershey's Chocolatetown is an interactive arrival experience giving our guests an opportunity to learn more about the School. Just to the left of the Park's main entrance, guests can explore the large digital display featuring all the ways in which MHS honors the legacy of Milton S. Hershey. This digital display includes a tour of the expansive MHS campus, a thorough timeline of the School's history, and offers a detailed look at the opportunities available to students. Guests can also take a picture next to a statue of Sparty, the official mascot of MHS!

 

2. Ride Elements

Hershey's Chocolatetown is home to three unique dining experiences, and if you look closely, you'll see work completed by MHS students.

Guests visiting The Chocolatier Restaurant, Bar and Patio will notice some elements from the Hersheypark ride collection on the second-story patio. An antique car from the Twin Turnpike attraction, celebrating 50 years in 2025, and three Fender Bender cars were refurbished by MHS Automotive Technology CTE students. Located next to the patio bar, guests are encouraged to sit in them and take photos while enjoying one-of-a-kind views of Hershey's Chocolatetown.

3. Carpentry Project

Additionally, carpentry students from MHS crafted a pair of 10-foot-long tabletops from rough-cut white oak to create twin Founders Tables in the dining room of The Chocolatier. Guests can enjoy lunch or dinner at these stunning tables located near large arched windows that provide an incredible view of the historic Carrousel and the Candymonium hypercoaster.

4. Culinary Offerings

MHS Culinary students, in collaboration with The Chocolatier Executive Chef Rick Larsen and his team, also created the Chicken & Waffles entree found on The Chocolatier menu. The signature dish is inspired by one of Mr. Hershey's favorite dishes when he used to visit the Park - it has also become a guest favorite, too! These same students helped inspire some of the restaurant's mocktail offerings. 

5. Beautiful Front Entrance Landscaping

Hershey's Chocolatetown features a reimagined arrival experience, with a warm welcome gate proudly showcasing our pinwheel logo. Every year, MHS Agricultural and Natural Resources students work with our landscaping crews to harvest and plant special horticulture elements that make the region pop each season.

6. Kisses  Bell

As guests enter Hershey's Chocolatetown, they might see (or hear) the Kisses Bell, located in the four-sided pitched roof tower on the front of the Ticketing Services building in Tram Circle. The custom-designed bell is held up by a beam signed by students at MHS to commemorate their role in developing key elements of the Chocolatetown project and at the heart of our organization's Core Purpose. 

We commend MHS for its innovative CTE programming and are honored to be part of it. Learn more about the School at https://www.mhskids.org/.