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Tears streamed down his face as he realized his work as a highway patrolman was no longer possible for him. It felt like the end of everything he worked for, and injuries now prevented his career goals. But in his deepest moment of despair the thought sparked in his mind, that maybe he was still able to help kids, just in a different way.
After getting hurt multiple times throughout his career, Greg Dettinger was left with not only metal in his body but with a new plan and hope for his future.
“I don’t have an ACL on my left knee and I have a titanium plate in my neck with three titanium screws and cadaver bone, C5, C6, and C7,” Dettinger said. “I cried and cried and cried and then I started praying on what I could possibly do and I thought, ‘Well, if I can’t take the bad guys off the streets, maybe I can go into education and teach them and motivate them to not make those decisions to be in that bad position.’ So that’s why I became a teacher.”
Dettinger has been teaching at NS for the past three years. However, his teaching journey didn’t start at NS.
“I’ve taught at seven schools,” Dettinger said. “For the last 31 years, I’ve taught nine of those years as a principal at four different high schools. I was an assistant director of transportation and ultimately I wanted to get back into the classroom. I’ve loved it for the last three years.”
The reason Dettinger ended up in Utah was because of his love and desire for safety for his kids.
“We made the decision to look for a safer place for our kids because five kids died in California where I worked,” Dettinger said. “I was burned out by the leadership stuff I had done, and in a three-day period, we made the decision to move, pack and get the job down here. We felt like it was meant to be, and the rest is history.”
One quality Dettinger is known for having is compassion and caring for his students.
“Dettinger cares a lot about his students,” sophomore Thaddeus Kimball said. “That is one thing about him is he cares a ton. He is very involved with the students.”
Another student also expresses the love she’s felt from Dettinger.
“It’s really sad to see him leave because I’ve had him since I was a sophomore,” senior Roxana Tenorio said. “He’s a teacher that you can tell cares about his students. He always talks to you about something you mentioned to him weeks ago, which shows he’s super thoughtful. He’s supporting and caring, and he’s good at creating friendships and bonds with his students. If they’re having a rough day, he’ll notice and help you, which is something I think is admirable about him.”
As he finishes his work at NS he’s grateful that there’s a qualified teacher filling in his shoes.
“From what I understand, they’ve hired a really good person,” Dettinger said. “But I’m gonna miss the kids and I’m gonna miss these students.”
This is the first time Dettinger hasn’t worked a full-time job since he was sixteen with the exception of his two-year mission, which he considers a full-time job.
“I felt really strongly that it was time,” Dettinger said. “The decision was only made a few weeks ago. I reached the actual age where I could receive my max security, and we had just finished our house and became empty nesters. My wife and I have worked so hard our whole lives, and I just want to enjoy life outside of work and have that freedom to go see the grandkids and hang out with my wife.”
Even though this is his last year teaching the kids, Dettinger doesn’t feel like he’ll ever truly leave them.
“I’ll still have some connections because I’m still going to officiate,” Dettinger said. “I’ll still see some on the soccer field and some on the basketball courts and baseball fields. I don’t know that I can ever walk away from spending time with the youth.”
With a mix of sadness and joy, Dettinger is headed on to the next chapter of his life.
“So farewell to North Sanpete High School Students, you have lifted me up, you have made me a better person and striven me to do better every day, and I’m forever grateful to all of you for how you have touched my life.”
