New woodshop teacher, Mr. Seth Decker, is one of the many new bright spots at Bellefonte High. He generates interest for learning in students across all grade levels. Known for his reserved nature, Mr. Decker has already contributed many efficient and organized improvements to Bellefonte’s woodworking program. 

Despite the resignation of previous woodshop teacher, Mr. Vaughn Donmoyer, Mr. Decker has bridged the gap almost seamlessly between functioning class time while still getting a chance to personalize his environment. Often seen cleaning up and putting together new tools/storage devices, Mr. Decker seemingly works around the clock to aid in the growth of the wood lab. For example, many students in class have noticed the leaps and bounds made in shop efficiency and the growth that has seemingly encompassed the stem course. 

“It’s kinda crazy to see things change so quickly, in just a few weeks. I like the way he’s organized things and how he’s freed up a lot of space that used to have a bunch of old scraps and projects,” sophomore Gavin Chalfa said.

Mr. Decker brings an attitude to the job that is incredibly supportive of students, yet maintains a professionality that should be adopted by all. Prior to Bellefonte, Mr. Decker was a teacher at Middletown Area High School, where he taught a variety of classes ranging from PLTW related fields to fabrication. Focusing on the importance of learning skills related to woodworking, kids have noticed his willingness to go the extra mile just to help out. This giving nature results in seemingly more engagement in class, and has already proven to have positive effects on the quality of student’s projects.

Faculty and staff have also noticed Mr. Decker’s inherent ability to communicate with anybody, regardless of whether they share much in common or not. 

“Mr. Decker has a lot of leadership skills that are reflected in his personality and he is a very likeable and respectable person.  As a person you can tell that he treats everybody with the same respect and is a very straightforward personality that reflects hard work and honesty,” Technology Education teacher Mr. Jonathan Mayes said.

Mr. Decker is also an avid outdoorsman. Oftentimes going fishing, hunting or hiking in his spare time. On top of this Mr. Decker spent much of his earlier life building things and learning as much as there is to know about the world around us. Mr. Decker was a collegiate wrestler at the University of Millersville, where he also attended classes to get his teaching certification. Mr. Decker has stated that his relationship with his father was one of the driving factors in both his athletic as well as educational career. 

“Wrestling has been a huge part of my life. It has taught me many life skills including discipline, leadership, teamwork, and many others,” Mr. Decker said.

With his overall life experiences and interesting stories to tell, Mr. Decker is truly one of Bellefonte’s strongest links when it comes to ability to impart knowledge and teach the skill sets required of students as they continue on in life.