Dr. Oz Interviews Milton Hershey School Teacher After Generous Gift
In a recent episode of his national daytime talk show, celebrity health expert Dr. Mehmet Oz featured Milton Hershey School teacher Matthew Pierce for his generous gift to students. Dr. Oz interviewed Pierce to talk about the critical role teachers are playing during the pandemic. The pair also discussed the news headlines Pierce made when he used his stimulus check to buy Uber Eats gift cards for MHS students who were off campus last spring.
“The one thing I knew I could do was to get students some food when they were home,” said Pierce. “The best way to get it to them was to buy them some gift cards, so that way they could get a meal when they needed to.”
Dr. Oz applauded Pierce for his thoughtfulness, pointing out that access to proper food and nutrition greatly impacts a child’s ability to learn. “I want to thank you and all the other generous teachers out there who gave the most precious things you could to our youth,” he said to Pierce. “It wasn’t just money. It was your time, your care, and your love.”
Pierce has been highlighted in media outlets across America and beyond in 2021. “It’s definitely not something I did for the attention,” said Pierce, who plans to use upcoming stimulus checks to buy more Uber Eats gift cards. “I hope we can all do something in our communities to make a difference, even one generous gift makes a difference. For me, helping others has always felt like the right thing to do. It’s what all teachers do. And it’s what we’re about at MHS.”