Gerald Decker is one of the creators and publishers of Teen Scene and Cape Fear Voices, a local newspaper created by adults and teen-written articles. Although Decker is a strong writer now and highly skilled, he wasn’t always. Decker struggled throughout high school, college, and his career because he simply couldn’t write well enough.

“Once I got in the military, I realized how hard you have to work when you’re not smart,” said Decker. “It was difficult. After such a bad high school experience, four years of war, three years in college, and working for the vice president and current president of the United States, Joe Biden, for 9 years, and I would still be there today, except I couldn’t write.”

Decker is a firm believer that writing is an important skill to know and that all students should have some sort of experience because it will eventually help them in life. With that being said, Decker is passionate about spreading the idea of teen writing, so he and other publishers have incorporated a journalism club to bring to Brunswick County Schools. 

“We’re working on bringing the journalism clubs to several Brunswick County middle and high schools,” said Decker. “We are trying to take some of Mrs. Saunders’s ideas and use them throughout Brunswick County.”

Writing is not always something you just excel in; you need support and guidance from people around you. Decker believes that feedback from other people is the best way to become a better writer. 

“Allowing your classmates to read your work and question why you wrote that, that’s feedback, and adults don’t want it and don’t appreciate it but with teens, they don’t necessarily want it and don’t necessarily appreciate it, but that’s the way we learn how to write,” said Decker. “When your friends give you feedback on how you express yourself, that’s when I think you learn how to write.”

Throughout Decker’s career, he learned one of life’s most important lessons: To succeed in life, you must know how to write. Decker has faced many challenges throughout his career simply because he didn’t meet the writing standards, so Decker encourages all students to learn how to properly write. 

“If you’re not learning it now, it gets increasingly more difficult throughout your life,” said Decker. “The whole thing I learned in college, I was not gonna be able to do because I couldn’t write at the level that was necessary to stay in the position, So I started teaching school to bring it to young students attention that you have to do better with your writing”

Although Decker understands that students are still in their prime youth years and don’t always want to pursue writing because of negative stereotypes set by their friends, he wants students to do what makes them happy because life goes on and it will only be easier if you can write effectively. 

“Don’t focus on your friends making fun of you because you’re interested in something they consider uncool,” said Decker. “Pursue what’s of interest to you and if your friends are in the way of who you are inside, I’m not telling you to get new friends, just don’t let them be the guiding light”

West Brunswicks’ Journalism class gained significant knowledge and insight from Mr. Decker. The class appreciates not only his time to speak with us but all he is doing for teen news within our county. If students learned anything from this time with Decker, it is: “The most important thing you can learn is how to write”

Gallery • 4 Photos

Photo by Anna Saunders