Students experience stable home lives and are immersed in exceptional academic programs when they come to this free, coed boarding school in Hershey, PA. Not only is Milton Hershey the man behind good chocolate—he’s the man behind good business. Purpose. An Experience Like No Other. Being a youngster in rural Pennsylvania was not easy. Selflessness.

In addition to leaving us with America’s most iconic chocolate bar, Milton left behind a legacy of goodness. Milton Snavely Hershey was born on September 13, 1857, in rural Dauphin County in Pennsylvania, near the present-day towns of Hockersville and Hershey. His family, of German and Swiss heritage, were members of Pennsylvania's Mennonite community. One built on compassion. Milton and Catherine Hershey opened the school in 1909. Explore Student Life. There was work to be done. Since then, more than 10,000 students from lower income families have had their lives transformed. Get the MHS Story.