I recently had the distinct pleasure of viewing the premier of "Living the Vision" a documentary on the legacy of The Milton Hershey School. Never heard of it? Neither had I. I suppose that's why Academy Award winning filmmaker Cynthia Wade calls it “one of the most amazing stories never told". I was struck from the very beginning when current students took the stage to talk about their experiences at the school. But, nothing prepared me for the heart-warming, heart-wrenching stories of the families in "Living the Vision".

The Milton Hershey School is the nation’s largest, cost-free, private co-educational home and school for children from families of low income, limited resources, and social need. Children from all social and ethnic backgrounds have been beneficiaries of the unparalleled generosity of the school’s founders, Milton and Catherine Hershey. There have been over 8,000 students over the past century to benefit from the loving and supportive environment of The Milton Hershey School. Ninety percent of the students go on to pursue higher education with an alumni contribution of up to $9,800,000 per year in charitable causes. It is without question that children who attend The Milton Hershey School are better educated and better prepared for life than if they had remained in their home environments. But, how difficult is the decision to send your children to MHS?

"Living the Vision" allowed us to see into the lives of two families during their initial year at MHS. A young, crack addicted mother who faced her children being taken away was blessed enough to get two of her three children into the Milton Hershey School. A mother, struggling with health problems, had exhausted her health insurance, disability income, and 401K. She was forced to send her sons to MHS because she could no longer afford to take care of them. As you might imagine, the children struggled with being away from home. There were nights of crying and days of rebellious struggle. Even children from the darkest of circumstance often have a tough transition to The Milton Hershey School until they begin to immerse themselves into the MHS experience, which involves both education and a new home-life experience.

The children at MHS live in structured home environments year-round with parental visits on vacations and holidays. The living quarters are comprised of house-parents (married couples dedicated to the success of MHS children) in single family homes with children who are matched by gender and relative age i.e., third and fourth grade boys. As a mother my heart warmed as I watched the children in the documentary not only get a good educational foundation but also a loving, supportive, and structured family life. The children learned how to manage conflict with others. They had chores and responsibilities. House rules set boundaries that are agreed upon by signed contracts with the children. Nothing impacted me more during the night when I heard Rachel Knight, a current MHS student say, "I just wanted a chance to be somebody in life. I have that now with The Milton Hershey School.”

With hard swallows and wide eyes to keep my tears from falling, I watched the students in the documentary go from ill-functioning, over-exposed children to connected and involved members of the MHS family. Sniffles could be heard throughout the Times Center auditorium where the preview was held. When the lights came back up, the silence spoke volumes. Each and every mother, father, aunt, uncle, and grandparent in that room was immensely grateful for the charity of the Milton Hershey School. When I tucked my six year old son into bed the next night, I made sure that we thanked God for our own blessings and for the Milton Hershey School that helps so many other children to be blessed in otherwise insurmountable circumstance. Happy centennial anniversary Milton Hershey School! Here's wishing you 100 more years of changing lives.

For more information on The Milton Hershey School go to http://www.thehersheylegacy.com