“Every single day, someone does something and it makes me laugh, and that’s the best thing about teaching.”

Dean Rogers, a teacher at Hershey High School (HHS), has an entertaining personality and is a respected teacher.

Rogers attended West Point Military Academy after graduating from Owen J. Roberts High School in Bucktown, Pennsylvania. West Point was strict about rules, but despite this Rogers said, “We liked to fold socks for fun on Friday nights.”

After graduating, Rogers was a pilot in the U.S. Army for nine years. He flew an RC-15, a small spy plane, along borders before conflicts arose. He spent some of his time flying along the Korean border and El Salvador border.

Rogers was a captain before leaving to attend the University of Pittsburgh to receive his Masters of Business Administration and his Masters of Information System. He then worked at Federal Express for two to three years.

Rogers didn’t start his teaching career until 2004. Rogers has only ever taught at HHS, and he has only ever taught math. However, he is also qualified to teach Business.

Currently, Rogers is teaching Statistics and AP Statistics which is what he has been teaching for the past ten years. Previously, he has taught Algebra II/Trigonometry, Geometry, and Precalculus. “I’ve never taught anything else but as far as I know it’s the best I’ve ever taught,” said Rogers.

“Every single day someone does something in school. It’s never boring, and every day is different because every class is different,” said Rogers. One reason why Rogers enjoys teaching so much is because it never becomes dull; there are new surprises every day, and the students keep him entertained.

“I always tell people teaching math is like lifting weights. No one does it cause they like, but you do it because of the good stuff it helps you do.” Building his math skills helped Rogers with calculating numbers when he was a pilot.

“As I’ve gotten older, I’ve begun to like Social Studies and History more,” said Rogers. Although math might not be his favorite subject to teach, Rogers said he teaches it because it’s what he does well.

Xuanxi Yang, a freshman in Rogers’s AP Statistics class, said that Rogers is a good teacher, and he cares about students actually learning the material and tries to help them fully understand all concepts. Yang also said that Rogers is an excellent teacher who enjoys pranking and joking around often.

“You have to discipline students and maintain a sense of authority and try to balance having fun in class with keeping order,” said Rogers. To Rogers, having fun is equally important as learning the required material.

Michelle Spratt, a junior in Rogers’s AP Statistics class, said, “I think he is a really good teacher. I feel like I learned a lot in his class.”

One of Rogers’s hobby is prancing other people. Rogers has allegedly pulled pranks on several teachers in HHS. “Well, someone stole Mr. Walizer’s stuffed animal, his Lorax, and so I kept it for about two months and kept filming it in different places in the school, so he couldn’t find it.

“Allegedly, the tombstone up there in the hallway after the dead bird may or may not have been done by me,” said Rogers. Rogers created a fake tombstone for the dead bird and set it on the roof outside in the G-Wing hallway. He likes to keep students and teachers entertained throughout the school days.

Spratt also said, “He is really funny and sarcastic. You always hear some weird stories from him. He makes sure that we are enjoying his class.”

Outside of his job, Rogers also enjoys going for walks. “I am getting to the age now where I like to walk for entertainment.”

Additionally, Rogers has two daughters that he spends most of his time with. “I’m a dad, so I’m always doing all the things the girls like to do. I just hang out with my girls mostly.” Rogers also golfs occasionally at the Hershey Country Club.

Rogers said, “I try to keep a sense of humor in everything that I do. Life is just too difficult if you can’t laugh about it.”