| Mr. Usera, as I knew him as
my High School Chemistry and Physics teacher (now Dr. Usera) was a
man with limitless energy. I believe he is of Portugese descent and
Roman Catholic by faith. While teaching 7-plus hours of high school
a day, he was working on 2 masters degrees and teaching several
college chemistry courses while still being a husband and father to
3 girls. He typically assumed that everyone he had contact with had
this same degree of energy and motivation.
Mr. Usera had high expectations of his students. He always wanted
to know what book you were reading, or what project you were
currently working on or how you were coming on your long and short
term goals. No accomplishment could impress Mr. Usera. If I were to
see him today and showed him the books I have written, he would
simply ask what is your next book about. My contact with him outside
the classroom was minimal, but his message of hard work to gain
knowledge and understanding, pushing yourself to excellence was the
impact Mr. Usera had on me. I am thankful to him for his example,
his teaching, and his high expectations.
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