Mark Augusto, more commonly known as Mr. Augusto, is an unforgettable teacher with an unforgettable class. From comparing his students to Syndrome from The Incredibles to talking about deep-fried ranch, his class truly is an experience. Augusto is a well-liked math teacher, and for good reason, too. Even on Mondays, he comes into class encouraging students with a positive attitude. If you don’t believe in yourself, he will. He does his best to explain the material, answering all questions and ensuring everyone understands.

“I think he’s a very charismatic guy that helps us connect to the class better,” says sophomore student Caitlyn Peczka. But Mr. Augusto wasn’t always teaching here at LHS.

Having attended both Springfield College and the University of Massachusetts, Mr. Augusto graduated with a degree in English. Right out of school, he got a job on The Hartford Hellcats, a sports team that played basketball.  Sadly, this team disbanded after a year and was bought by the Connecticut Coyotes, who went on to play arena football instead.

He then became an English teacher at Ludlow High School, teaching English to students from 1998 to 2003. In his first year of teaching here at Ludlow, his name and picture were found in the local newspaper, but in Springfield instead of here. It was an article focusing on the first day of school, mentioning him as a teacher. English isn’t the only skill Augusto possesses. He finally became the Math teacher we all know and love, teaching the horrors of algebra.

“His class is so fun because he is so hilarious. He calls things funny things like a bullet hole, like his quzzies, and his class is just so fun and he’s just a great teacher,” describes Arianna Podmore, a sophomore student.

When asked why he decided to become a Math teacher, Augusto responded, “I was good at it,” and “There was a need for teachers.” He also likes working with kids. While his past experience wasn’t the best, he would choose to become a sports team manager if not a teacher. If these two don’t work out, Augusto would choose a job that doesn’t often come to mind—an Amazon driver.

Not only does Augusto’s mind get a workout with all the math he does, but so does he. Working out, playing sports, and watching sports like football and basketball are things he enjoys in his free time. Something not so enjoyable is having a bat flying around your classroom, or having to spray a giant bug with Windex. Both of these happened to Augusto, and I can only imagine the screaming voices of past students.

While he’s done a lot in his life, Mr. Augusto still has his future. If he could wish for anything new, he would move to a small place, somewhere nice with a better climate. With the weather here in Massachusetts, I can’t blame him. If Augusto could give any advice to students or anyone else, it would be that it takes time to figure out things, especially in school. The best way to go forward is to stick to a plan and see it through.

“Mr. Augusto is a chill guy, and even though I’m alone and have no friends in that class, he makes class interesting,” remarks junior student Emilia Alves.

Along with telling me about his life, Mr. Augusto asked me to surprise him by rating him as a teacher. Here is my honest opinion of him.

Overall, I think he’s a great teacher. He takes time to go over questions and answers to make sure we understand the material. In the early morning, his jokes make the school day more tolerable, too. He’s never put a student down for their abilities, only seeing the best in them.

Beatrice Chello, a sophomore student, agrees with me.“Mr. Augusto is an amazing teacher. I look forward to joking around with him and comparing him to Mr. Martin every day. His humor and compassion for students doesn’t go unnoticed, and he truly makes my day better just by being himself. It is truly a privilege to have him as my math teacher this year!”

He’s also not very strict, having a relaxed and easygoing personality towards his students and work. I’m really happy to have him as my teacher, and I hope everyone else who does feels the same.