Learning That Connects Generations
Wildwood Garden Club Visits Hershey Montessori School
On a misty March afternoon, Hershey Montessori Middle School students welcomed members of the Wildwood Garden Club of Mentor to their Huntsburg campus for a hands‑on, student‑led exploration of one of our most meaningful adolescent programs: maple syrup production. What unfolded was far more than a tour—it was a powerful example of intergenerational learning, authentic work, and Montessori education in action.
The visit began months earlier, when Emily Healy, a parent of a current Hershey Montessori student and a board member of the Wildwood Garden Club, reached out with an idea. Club members—many of whom are retired and longtime gardeners—were eager to visit a working maple syrup operation. Emily wondered if Hershey Montessori might be the right place for such an experience, especially one that could also benefit students.
That instinct proved exactly right.
Students as Teachers
Hershey Montessori adolescents in the Sugarbush Study and Work class stepped fully into leadership roles to prepare for the visit. Each student researched a specific part of the maple syrup process, becoming a “specialist” in everything from tree identification and tapping, to sap collection and evaporation, to product development and sales.
On the day of the tour, the adolescents guided their visitors through the entire process:
- How maple trees are selected and tapped
- How sap is collected and transported
- How it is boiled and transformed into syrup
- How finished products—such as maple syrup, maple candy, and maple sugar BBQ rub—are created and sold
Though the day was foggy and cool, the group adapted easily—moving between the sugarhouse and wooded areas, adjusting plans with flexibility and good humor.
What stood out most to visitors was that the experience was entirely student‑led.
“I guess some hadn’t heard that it was student led, and that was a pleasant surprise,” Emily later shared. “I received and overheard a lot of positive feedback. The students really impressed the group.”
Natalie Hudak, who oversees Hershey Montessori’s maple syrup programs and guided the students through the preparation process, reflected on the value of the experience: “I was so grateful that the students had an authentic presentation experience to prepare for. It is much different from just presenting to your peers.”
Preparing for a real audience beyond the classroom challenged students to deepen their understanding, collaborate with purpose, and communicate their knowledge with confidence. The experience mirrored the kind of meaningful, real‑world learning that Montessori adolescent programs are designed to provide.
Intergenerational Learning in Action
For Emily, the visit represented something even larger than maple syrup. As a board member focused on special projects, she is passionate about building bridges across generations through shared learning and care for the environment.
“So often, it is the differences between people on which we are encouraged to focus,” she reflected. “The difference between young people and seniors today is described as a ‘generational divide.’ It is important to me to help build bridges across the divides that create obstacles in understanding, respect, and growth.”
Watching adolescents confidently teach, explain, and engage with older adults revealed something powerful: qualities like curiosity, commitment, creativity, and care for the planet transcend age.
This is exactly what Montessori education aims to cultivate. When students take on real responsibility and meaningful work, they discover not only academic understanding, but also their own value and voice within a community.
Becoming Someone Who Knows What They Can Do
Experiences like this shape more than skills—they shape who students understand themselves to be. As adolescents prepared for and led the Wildwood Garden Club visit, they were not simply sharing knowledge; they were testing and confirming their identities as capable, thoughtful contributors.
Standing before adult visitors, students experienced a powerful shift. They saw themselves reflected not as learners completing an assignment, but as people whose understanding mattered. Answering questions, adapting explanations, and responding to the needs of their audience helped students internalize a new sense of confidence rooted in competence and trust.
Emily Healy noted that many visitors left surprised by what the students were able to do—but for the students themselves, the greater discovery was inward. Moments like these help adolescents recognize their own value, clarify their strengths, and understand that they have something meaningful to offer a community beyond their peers.
Experiences like this support a core developmental need of adolescence: forming a stable, confident sense of self. When students are entrusted with responsibility and supported through authentic experiences, confidence grows not through praise, but through lived understanding of their own capability.
Looking Ahead