“I remember the first time I set foot in the building 30 years ago; I walked in an it smells just the same. Other than there being more students and computers, Central hasn’t changed too much. It’s still a building full of teenagers and teachers,” AP US History and Civics teacher Matthew Dean said.

Dean hasn’t always been a teacher though; he used to be in the restaurant business until 2004. He fell into teaching through his passion of history, and he decided that teaching would be a good way to expand on his love of history.

“I have since learned that this job is much more than teaching a subject,” Dean said.

Along with fly fishing and photography, Dean also likes to golf. He is now Central’s golf coach, and says that he has high hopes for the returning golfers for next season.

His favorite part of teaching is definitely not grading papers. But, Dean does enjoy teaching virtually any course in social studies.

“I love what I’m teaching now. I don’t think there is one Social Studies course I haven’t taught that’s offered between seventh and twelfth grade,” Dean said.

Dean also has a good sense of humour, and when asked to give interesting information about himself, he instead gave a kind of puzzle about himself.

“All I’ll say is that one of these is not true: 1. I once set foot in the gulf of Mexico, the Atlantic and the Pacific in a three week period. 2. One time I snow skied for 30 straight days. 3. I was in a movie with Billy Bob Thornton and Laura Dern,” Dean said. To know the answer, readers will have to consult Dean.