When you grow up somewhere, you become accustomed to the area surrounding. For most of us at Bellefonte, we have lived here all our lives, making us unimpressed by the town. But, for Mr. Matthew Maris, when he moved to Bellefonte he had fresh eyes that saw the place for what is, a historical site with stories to tell.

Mr. Maris is a history teacher at Bellefonte, you might have him for Central PA History, American Geography and Economics “AGE”, or AP Human Geography. He first moved from his hometown Charlotte, North Carolina to Pennsylvania when he went to Lock Haven as a wrestler. With a passion for history, Mr. Maris figured out in college that he wanted to be a teacher, so he could “help other people enjoy history.”

He took his first job at Reline High School in York PA where he taught for four years, before moving to Bellefonte and beginning his, so far, eleven year career. He claims that Bellefonte itself reignited his passion for history, as he had never lived anywhere so old. Charlotte, North Carolina didn’t have the same number of historical sights as Bellefonte. So, like any true teacher, he wanted to share his personal research on Bellefonte with the public, and teach outside of his classroom to the surrounding county.

“It’s fun to interact with the public,” said Mr. Maris. To do so, he founded Local Historia, an organization that uses media and tours to share the history of Central PA. Mr. Maris helps create youtube videos about sites in Central PA, as well as conduct walking tours around sites. His efforts eventually earned him the John H. Zeigler Historic Preservation award.

When teaching his high school students, not his Local Historia students, he is always trying to help them connect with the information.

“I hope that my passion for what I do helps them find their passion,” said Mr. Maris. He feels that the hardest part about learning and high school is just showing up.

“Show up for the test, show up for your work… when you’re here you’ll be successful,” said Mr. Maris. So, if you ever have a chance to take a class with Mr. Maris, know as long as you show up, his passion for his job will carry you the rest of the way to success.