Milton Hershey School Students Explore Global Water Sustainability on International Trip

Over the summer, 22 Milton Hershey School Senior Division students traveled to Ireland and Germany through the school’s International Learning Experiences program. The trip, which aimed to broaden their understanding of global environmental issues, offered them firsthand experience in tackling one of the world’s most pressing concerns: water sustainability.

The students and chaperones began their 12-day tour in Ireland. The group explored water’s role in sustainable farming practices—visiting historic sites and learning from local farmers. In Dublin, the students visited EPIC, the Irish Emigration Museum, to learn about the history and culture of the Irish. They saw breathtaking sites like St. Patrick’s Cathedral and Ha’Penny Bridge.

From Dublin, the group traveled to Galway to do sightseeing and learn. A highlight of their time on the Emerald Isle included visiting a shellfish farm to learn about breeding oysters and the effects of climate change on food production. In addition, they met a local farmer for a sheepdog herding demonstration.

The next leg of their journey took them to Berlin, Germany, to attend the Global Leadership Summit: The Impact of Water on Society, organized by EF Educational Tours. Before the summit began, MHS students explored Berlin, seeing the Berlin Wall and Checkpoint Charlie. They then spent time at an urban farm and learned how to make seed balls. Inspired by the activity, once back in Hershey, Pennsylvania, MHS students worked with Agricultural and Environmental Education program staff to sell seed balls in the student-run MHS Project Market during the 2024-25 school year.

During the three-day summit, attended by over 1,000 students from around the world, MHS students participated in various workshops and keynote speeches focused on innovative solutions for water conservation.

“Our students had to step outside of their comfort zone and work with other students from different countries,” shared MHS Elementary Principal Amanda Smith, one of the tour’s chaperones. “They were able to be creative and use the knowledge they gained in Ireland and Berlin prior to the Summit.”

Students worked in teams to develop a creative solution to a water sustainability challenge. Judges selected the top 10 teams to present their mock projects on the Summit’s main stage. Two MHS student groups were among the finalists.

These enriching international experiences have a profound impact on MHS students. It provides an opportunity for them to gain global perspectives on solving issues and teaches them essential life skills on how to travel.

“Many of our students haven’t traveled beyond Hershey and their hometowns,” said Smith. “Seeing different perspectives and ways of life broadens their horizons more than sitting in a classroom. Because of this trip, they have a new understanding of various cultures and how to interact with others. It reinforces to them that there is more of a world out there than what exists in Hershey.”

This trip was the second of the 2023-24 school year. In the spring, a group of 25 MHS high school students participated in a language immersion trip to Spain.