Pennsylvania

Elementary
Education
Association

2016 Annual Conference

Racing
Towards
Education!
May 16-19, 2016
Hershey Lodge,
325 University Drive,
Hershey, PA 17033

Thank You

Dear Lauren,
We want to thank you for choosing Hershey Destination Services for
the Pennsylvania Elementary Education Association Annual
Conference. We appreciate you answering all of our questions to
better your stay. Planning this event could not have happened
without your valued input every step of the way. We look forward to
seeing you and plan on having your conference be everything you
expected and more!
Thank You,
Hershey Destination Services
Kevin Wells

Danielle Taylor

Katherine Call

Alec Ostapovicz

Table of Contents

Thank You................................................1
Table of Contents.................................2
Welcome..................................................3
Hershey Lodge & Map........................4
Hospitality Room.................................6
Travel Information...............................7
Schedule..................................................9
Monday....................................................10
Tuesday...................................................13
Wednesday............................................19
Thursday................................................22

Welcome
Pennsylvania Elementary Education Association
Annual Conference
Welcome, Pennsylvania Elementary Education Association, to
Hershey Parks & Resorts. We are very excited that you have chosen
us to hold your annual conference. Milton S. Hershey once said, If we
had helped a hundred children, it would have all been worthwhile.
Hershey was grounded with the importance to educating the children
of the future and we have believe your teachers are vital for a
positive future in education.
Every day is going to be based around the main theme of Racing
Towards Education. For the first evening, your members will
experience a Marathon. On Tuesday, they will rev up their minds in
race-car driving. And finally on Wednesday, your members will gallop
with horse racing. We feel these themes will tie in perfectly with
Racing Towards Education and provide a unique and unmatched
Hershey experience.
We hope that you have an amazing stay here at the Hershey
Lodge and let the race begin!
Sincerely,
Hershey Destination Services

Hershey Lodge
As Pennsylvanias largest convention resort, we provide exceptional
service and facilities to accommodate all sizes. Other destination
offers include team-building opportunities, golf at the country club,
relaxing spa options, destination tours and much more. Its no
wonder your conference will be a sweet success when staying at the
Hershey Lodge.
Lebbie Lebkichers
(7:00am-11:00am) - Known
for their custom omelets
and offers a buffet styled
breakfast.

Cocoa Beanery (6:30am11:00pm) - The is not your

average coffee shop with
unique and delectable
pastries centered around
Hershey chocolate.

Hershey Grill (8:00am-4:00pm)

- The Hershey Grill offers a
wide variety of options and a
happy hour that your members
may enjoy in between events.

The Bears Den (11:30am1:00am) - This restaurant

and bar is great to relax with
its extended hours and
atmosphere.

Hershey Lodge Map

Hospitality Room

At the end of each day we invite you to join us for our Hershey Lodge
hospitality room. Located in Cocoa Suite 1 it will be open every
evening and offer several relaxing amenities. Sip on a drink from our
cash bar while playing board games, video games or just chatting
with friends. Fix your sweet tooth before bed with a action station
and make a to go bag of all your favorite Hershey treats.

Travel Information

Transportation Company & Vehicles

During your stay here at Hershey Lodge, we will be partnering with
Empire Charters for all your transportation needs. Empire Charters is
one of the premiere transportation industries with luxurious busses
and coaches. Their fleet consists of a Deluxe Mini Bus that holds 20-24
passengers, a Deluxe School Bus that holds 38-44 passengers, a
Deluxe Limo Bus that holds 48-52 passengers, and a Deluxe Coach
that holds 75-80 passengers. When you arrive to your events, you will
be arriving in style.

Racing
Towards
Education!

Travel Information

Timeline and Transitions

Racing
Towards
Education!
8

Schedule

Monday
Room Drop #1
After guests check-in to the hotel and with the PEEA, guests will
find in their rooms a welcome letter from The Hershey Lodge. They
will also receive a hershey athletic shirt, hershey water bottle,
chocolate colored journal (encouraged to journal their experience),
gatorade and various fruits, as well as Hershey chocolate bars and
Hershey kisses.

10

Monday
Welcome Reception & Dinner
The Hershey Lodge - Cocoa Ballroom
6:00PM-9:00PM
Business Casual

As the guests begin to enter the reception area, they see a starting
line and pathway leading into the ballroom. Guests will pick up a bib
number and tape it to the bottom of their name badge for the
evening. As they enter, they will see rounds of tables, local food
vendors, and a running track around the room. There will also be a
large replica of a hershey kiss.

Centerpieces will
be tiered podiums
with trophies on
top filled with
Hershey kisses.

While the guests are getting food from the local

vendors the announcer/local band will ask
participants to step off of the track. The
Hershey S. Milton schools top relay team in
track and field will line up on the track and the
first member will hold a fake torch. They will
pass the torch along and the final member have
it touch the hershey kiss. The Hershey kiss will
light up gold and the announcer will share that
this is the beginning of the conference and let
the race towards education begin!

F&B: Four local food vendors from Hershey Parks & Resorts, one
winery, and one brewery to show off Hershey's best.

11

Monday
Room Drop #2
The second room drop will contain select books from the keynote
speaker, Mara Rockliff, as well as books from the panel of children's
book authors. A note will be on top of the books saying Please enjoy
these books that are written by the guest speakers that will mesmerize
you tomorrow. Fill out the extra page attached with address of school
and leave it next to the television, so that we may deliver your books to
your school free of charge.

12

Tuesday
General Session Meeting

The Hershey Lodge - Cocoa Ballroom

8:30AM-12:00PM
Business Casual Attire
As guests walk toward the ballroom
they will encounter a tunnel
pathway that leads to the ballroom.
At each corner of the tunnel, there
is a giant cutout of each of Mara
Rockliffs books.

Mara Rockliff
Mara Rockliff is an award winning childrens author from Eastern
Pennsylvania known for books such as, Mesmerized,
Gingerbread for Liberty!, and Me and Momma and Big John.
Rockliff has great experience in speaking for teachers all over the
state, region, at bookstores, and TV and radio as well.
After Rockliff shares inspiration and wisdom to your members, she
will join a panel of children's story authors including Judy Blume
(with her new book, An Unlikely Event), R.L. Stine (with his new
book coming out in April, Can You Keep A Secret?), and also J.K.
Rowling (with her new book coming out in July, Harry Potter and
the Cursed Child, Parts I and II). Each of these authors have books
to promote and will also do a book signing after the Q&A panel.

13

Tuesday
Spouse/Partner Activity #1

Hershey Gardens/Spring Creek Golf Course

8:30AM-12:00PM
Casual Attire

Option 1: A quaint tour through the Hershey Gardens

At the Hershey Gardens we will provide mimosas,
bloody marys and finger foods including chocolate
covered strawberries for the spouses/partners to
enjoy. Take a stroll around the gardens, or just sit at
the picnic areas for a nice relaxing morning
outdoors.

Option 2: 9 holes at Spring Creek Golf Course

Spring Creek Golf Course is a newly renovated golf
course on the Hershey property. Please ask your
spouse/ partners to bring their own set of golf
clubs, however if they do not have golf clubs we will
provide them. Snacks and beverages will be placed
throughout the course for your pleasure.

F&B:

Light snacks and drinks

8 minute drive to Hershey Gardens in 1 deluxe mini bus

Transportation: 9 minute drive to Spring Creek Golf Course in 1 deluxe mini
bus

14

Tuesday
Team Building Activity
Adventure Sports in Hershey
1:30PM-4:30PM
Casual Attire

Get ready, get set, go! Our Amazing Race style team building event will host three
different team building activities. First groups will split up into teams of 5, then each
teams trust will be tested using blindfolds and listening to directions around an
obstacle course. The first team done will receive points towards winning the race. Next,
teams will work on building skills using a bag of items given to them with a specific
theme to create a centerpiece for their picnic table. The team with the best centerpiece
will win the points.

Finally, our big team building extravaganza continues. Teams will travel around
Adventure Sports in Hershey to different areas starting at the go-kart course
performing different tasks at each course to earn puzzle pieces. After completing each
task, they will have a total of 20 puzzle pieces and will have to put together the puzzle.
The first team to finish will earn 5 points. The team with the most points at the end of
the day will win a $25 gift card per team member for the Hershey Store.
Transportation: 10 minute drive to Adventure Park in 1 deluxe
coach bus

15

Tuesday

Spouse/Partner Activity #2
ZooAmerica
1:30PM-4:30PM
Casual Attire

Get ready for a wild afternoon as your guests will experience Hersheys ZooAmerica!
Starting off with a group picture and a private tour, your guests will see creatures varying
from the Southern Swamps all the way to the Northlands. Following the tour get up close
and personal with some of the Zoos friendly new faces: three Grey Wolf pups, Husker,
Twister and Maizer. This one-on-one interaction is a special treat as you will be allowed to
pet and play with our furry friends with Zoo staff supervision.
Then cool off and enjoy catered snacks at our Timber Treats dining area located in the
center of the zoo. Before departure, each spouse/partner will receive a goody bag to
remember your day at ZooAmerica including a framed group picture, ZooAmerica mug and
information on our conservation programs. We look forward to you joining us for an
afternoon of adventure.

Transportation:

7 minute drive to ZooAmerica in 1 deluxe school bus

16

Tuesday
Reception & Dinner

The Purcell Friendship Hall & Dearden House

6:30PM-9:30PM
Casual Attire

Games of horseshoes and corn hole will be available for

guests to play during reception. For dinner we will
provide a home style BBQ buffet with picnic tables
outside along with the option to sit at the inside tables.
A local country band will be playing outside throughout
dinner. After dinner, everyone will be encouraged to get
out of their seats and learn to line dance! To elaborate
on the home style feel of this event, we will have a
Hershey s'mores roast outside following dinner.

F&B: Home style BBQ

Transportation: 7 minute drive to Dearden House in 2 deluxe coach
buses

17

Tuesday
Room Drop #3
As guests return to their room reminiscing about the day of amazing guest
speakers, team building, and a hootn tootn dinner, they will find these items
sitting in their room. The note attached with this room drop will say Tomorrow
will be a day of travel, learning, and fun. Please enjoy some of these items that
will help you enjoy the day tomorrow and take away all that you can from the
unique school you will see. Dont forget to take your alcohol vouchers to your
dinner tomorrow to enjoy a night at the races even more.

18

Wednesday
Milton Hershey School
Destination Tour
10:30AM-3:30PM
Casual Attire

After the members wrap-up meeting, all guests will travel to the Milton Hershey
School for a unique Hershey Destination tour. Once they arrive, they will be
greeted by one of the most unique schools in Pennsylvania. The participants
will get the chance to visit all of the buildings and areas on campus and learn
how the school works.
In the middle of the tour, participants will make a stop at Alumni Memorial
Grove to have a very beautiful lunch provided by the school. If it rains, we will
move the lunch into one of the cafeterias. The last building the participants will
end in is the Fanny B. Hershey Memorial Hall. This building is for pre-K to 4th
grade. This will be a chance to see how they teach their kid and learn some new
techniques that they can use back at their schools.

F&B:
Lunch at The Alumni Memorial Grove
Transportation: 10 minute drive to Milton School in 2 deluxe limo
buses

19

Wednesday
Reception and Awards Dinner
Penn National Race Course
6:30PM-9:30PM
Formal Derby Attire

Enjoy your final evening with us as we

celebrate at the Penn National Race
Course. Wear your finest derby attire to
get in the racing spirit and begin the
night with complimentary vouchers to
the casino. Weve prepared all your
racing favorites to rev up your appetite
with refreshing cocktails like our mint
julep, and our delectable hors
d'oeuvres like the derby bourbon
shrimp.

Get an up close look of mock races whil

dining on the finest food, and after, get
the chance to meet the horses along
with Triple Crown winner American
Pharaoh. If the weather does not
cooperate, we will move the festivities
indoor. As this race comes to an end, an
awards ceremony thanking all those
teachers who have gone above and
beyond, and along with each award, th
recipient will also receive
a Hershey chocolate gold medal.

As you make your way to the track you will

find yourself seated on the center
grass for the perfect view of the horses.
Enjoy centerpieces for champions with
a trophy towering in
the center surrounded by red roses in the
shape of the horseshoe and mason jars lit
with candlelight around the edge of the
roses. Itll be a night to remember as you
dine with friends over a derby filled menu.

F&B: Hand service; four course meal

Transportation: 20 minute drive to Penn National Race Course in 2
deluxe coach buses

20

Wednesday
Room Drop #4
As the guests return from their fun and exciting day, a pack of assorted Hershey
candies will be waiting for them, a chocolate apple, and a gold Hershey Kiss paper
weight they can take back to their classroom as a reminder of this incredible
experience. The final note will say "Although it's almost time to go, please take these
gifts to pack and stow. We loved that you came here and had a blast, so here are some
sweets and treats to remember in your class".

21

Thursday
Guest Departure
As guests depart, we will give them a framed group photo from the Milton
Hershey School.

22