HERSHEY, Pa. — The quiet mornings on neighborhood streets are about to be gone as schools head back to school for the start of classes. But for two Milton Hershey Students classes never really ended for them. Everyday, even if it was over a screen, their knowledge grew as they dove right into what they hope becomes their future careers.
“I love the prep work, I love finding the information on the guys.”
That would be a frequent statement of how to attack a job as a broadcaster and it was uttered by Bears play by play man Zack Fisch as he was a mentor to Milton Hershey Senior Jaison Nieves.
“I am just extremely grateful to have the opportunity to work with Zack and to see his insight and gather that,” says Nieves when asked why he took this opportunity
Ally Barrows is another senior who is an intern with Hershey Entertainment& Resorts. Her choice to work over the summer was an easy one.
“I chose to do this to benefit me in the future,”
The two Spartan seniors did indeed get a jump on their futures before even graduating high school.
“Getting a head start on my career and my choices for my life after MHS and after high school that will benefit me more than going home,” says Barrows.
The experience in the accounting department will look good for Ally she learned advances techniques and tables, even if those sessions took place over zoom.
Jaison wants a career in sports so naturally his internship led him to Zack Fisch the voice of the Hershey Bears.
“Jaison is really sharp, he wants to be in the sports world, and we have discussed that is all encompassing and could cover many different sports. I specialize in hockey the he is a big basketball guy."
The sports may be different for the two the passion to teach and learn is the same. Every time they meet Jaison is a sponge taking in the advice from Fisch.
“He presents a lot of his work and his mentorship and it really helps just showing (me) how he sees things even over a screen,” Nieves says with a serious look.
Learning over Zoom is no cakewalk and when it comes to an internship that would normally be hands on it is an entirely different experience. The change though blends well for Jaison in sports media according to Fisch.
“If the last year has taught us anything it has taught us that we could do more than we ever thought.”
Whether it is in the classroom or on Zoom, we know great teachers inspire and it seems the internships for the students have hit their mark.
“It shows like 'dang that could be me' and that is what I want to be. Because I see his enthusiasm in sports and I want to have the same thing."