HERSHEY, Pa., March 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Catherine Hershey Schools for Early Learning (CHS), a subsidiary of Milton Hershey School (MHS), hosted its fourth annual Early Childhood Education (ECE) Leaders Summit on Friday, March 27, at Hershey Lodge, bringing together nearly 500 early childhood education professionals from local, regional, and national organizations that serve young children and families for this cost-free event.
The 2026 ECE Leaders Summit, themed “One Team, One Dream,” focused on enhancing collaboration while equipping participants with practical strategies to strengthen their work. Now in its fourth year, the Summit has evolved from its inaugural gathering focused on whole-child and whole-family care into an annual gathering that connects educators, nonprofit leaders, and community partners to explore emerging priorities and shared challenges across the field.
The keynote speaker, Erica Dhawan, is a globally recognized voice on 21st-century teamwork, collaboration, and innovation. Named one of the world’s Top 50 management thinkers by Thinkers50, she is a two-time bestselling author and the #1 rated Top Women Keynote Speaker. Her insights regularly appear in Harvard Business Review, Fast Company, and The Wall Street Journal.
“Our yearly ECE Leaders Summit brings together nationwide experts in early childhood education to learn from one another,” said MHS and CHS President Peter G. Gurt. “It reflects our commitment to collaboration and serves as a mutual learning opportunity for CHS employees and ECE professionals who share a passion for helping children and families thrive in our local communities.”
The event also featured interactive breakout sessions led by national ECE thought leaders, networking opportunities that foster shared learning and professional growth, and insights gathered through surveys with ECE experts.
“This year’s keynote and breakout sessions were intentionally designed to give early childhood professionals practical tools they can immediately bring back to their classrooms and organizations,” said Dr. Rebekah Benedum, CHS Senior Director of Programming. “From trauma-informed care to strengthening family engagement, each session reinforces how collaboration and shared learning help us better serve children and families.”
CHS continues to expand its network of early learning centers across Pennsylvania. The organization currently serves 450 children daily across three operating centers in Dauphin County and will open its first Lancaster County location, CHS New Danville, this summer. Additional centers are planned for Elizabethtown and Lancaster City in 2027. As CHS grows, the organization is actively hiring educators and staff across multiple locations. Learn more at chslearn.org/careers.
ABOUT CATHERINE HERSHEY SCHOOLS FOR EARLY LEARNING
Catherine Hershey Schools for Early Learning (CHS) provides non-residential, year-round weekday care and education to children from six weeks to age 5 from under-resourced and overburdened backgrounds, with all costs covered for qualifying families. CHS is a subsidiary of Milton Hershey School (MHS) and is part of a $350 million initiative to initially develop six Early Childhood Education Centers in Pennsylvania. For more information, visit chslearn.org.
ABOUT MILTON HERSHEY SCHOOL
Milton Hershey School is one of the world’s best private schools, where qualifying students in pre-kindergarten through 12th grade live on campus and receive an exceptional educational experience—with all costs covered. For more information, visit mhskids.org.
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SOURCE Milton Hershey School
