Inspired by Vogue’s popular YouTube series entitled “73 Questions,” the Life section challenged Upper School Math Teacher Jack Prater to answer 59 rapid fire questions about his daily routines and must-haves. Instead of 73 questions, we ask 59 in honor of the year the Poly Upper School was founded: 1959.

1. Describe yourself in three words. Tall, shifty and kind.
2. What is your favorite holiday? Juneteenth.
3. What is a talent you always wish you had? Playing the piano.
4. What superpower would you want to have? The ability to fly or teleport.
5. Favorite place on the Poly campus? It was the broken bench on Arden, but since they moved the broken bench, I don’t know.
6. Who is your role model? My dad.
7. Why? Because he survived the Jim Crow South and fought in World War II. So whenever I need courage and strength, I look to his path, and I know there is nothing I can’t do.
8. Least favorite food? Mayonnaise. Yuck.
9. Coffee or tea? Tea.
10. Biggest pet peeve? People who don’t think about others.
11. Your favorite animal? Peregrine falcon.

12. When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up? Probably a space weenie, so an astronaut or an engineer.

13. Do you have any siblings? I have a sister.
14. Do you have a favorite math joke? I do have a favorite physics joke. They say time flies like an arrow, but fruit flies like a banana.
15. What is your most irrational fear that you fully stand by? I have nightmares about snakes, but I’m not afraid of snakes. The floor will be covered with snakes, and I’ll be paralyzed by it, but in real life, snakes don’t scare me.
16. Best homework excuse you’ve ever heard? Poly kids don’t try to be that creative. It’s usually just “I’m tired.”
17. What’s the weirdest slang word you’ve heard? I really hated that skibidi toilet. It was ridiculous.
18. Funniest movie you’ve ever seen? Might not be the funniest, but the first thing to come to mind is “Blazing Saddles.”
19. Last song you listened to? Probably a Louis Armstrong song.
20. Sweet or salty? Salty.
21. Early bird or night owl? Early bird.
22. Do you think the Illuminati is real? Of course they are.
23. If so, are you in it? I am not hahaha.
24. What is the best advice you’ve ever received? Keep going because things are going to change.
25. What’s your biggest achievement? Probably that I’ve kept going because things are going to change.
26. What makes you smile the most? Just people.
27. Favorite season? Summer. I like it hot.
28. If you were stranded on an island, what would you bring? Something to read. If it had to be just one, probably “The Count of Monte Cristo.”
29. DC or Marvel? Marvel, but “Batman” is one of the greatest movies ever.
30. Most adventurous thing you’ve done? Going to work for a startup company. Leaving a secure government job to go chase a startup dream.
31. What’s something on your bucket list? Maybe to go on vacation in a Scandinavian country.
32. What’s something most people don’t know about you? I really prefer to be alone.
33. Do you like surprises? No.
34. Kittens or puppies? Puppies.

35. If you were a vegetable, what would you be? Asparagus.

36. Why? Because I’m just long and kinda pointy. I’m not treated right hahaha.
37. What’s the coolest thing about being a teacher? Every day is absolutely different. Kids are a lot of trouble, but they are filled with such joy, humanity and ideas.
38. If you could time-travel into the past, where would you go? If I went back, I’d go back to right before I got married to help myself understand how to do that better.
39. And if you could time-travel into the future? If I went forward, I would see how my kids do when I’m not here.
40. What did you do before you were a teacher? I was an engineer at JPL for about 20 years, and then I ran internet companies for five to seven years.
41. Is it true that you had to leave school once to help JPL? After I left, they needed some equipment that I built. I did tell them where to find it and what they could use it for, but I didn’t have to leave.
42. What advice would you give Poly students today? Don’t shortcut your learning…take advantage of all those opportunities for learning how to think critically and use your own mind to synthesize information.
43. Do you have a motto you live by? When I was a big street skateboarder, my motto was: “Bones heal. People dig scars. Pain is temporary. Glory is forever.” But now that my skating days are over, it’s simply: “Be kind.”
44. If you could meet one person, dead or alive, who would it be? Probably Tesla.
45. Why? Because he’s crazy, people would be like, “Tesla, have you seen this new thing?” and he would pull it out of a drawer, having invented it years ago. He had a lab where he generated higher voltage than anyone else has ever generated…just for kicks.
46. Favorite thing from Haaga? I gotta go with the Red Vines.
47. What did you eat for breakfast today? An orange and a plum.
48. Do you play an instrument? I play the violin and the harp, otherwise known as the harmonica.
49. Which one is your favorite? Probably the harmonica, but I would rather be a better violinist.
50. Favorite smell? Anything associated with my grandma.
51. Best thing about living in LA? The mountains and the water. In twenty minutes, you can be in a completely different place.

52. Describe your high school self in three words or fewer. Just nerd. Just a nerdy, nerdy little kid.

53. If you taught something other than math, what would it be? Volleyball or physics.
54. What makes you angry? When I’m trying to help people who are working against their own self-interest.
55. Best country you’ve visited? Maybe South Africa. I just went there, but I learned some stuff about myself that I hadn’t realized, and that hasn’t happened in a long time.
56. Did you really hug President George Bush at your graduation? All I’m gonna say is, in this world of deep fakes and video evidence, I wouldn’t trust anything you read on the internet.
57. What’s your favorite thing in the world? Peaceful, quiet time with my kids or someone I love.
58. Hardest lesson you’ve learned in life? What’s that Bonnie Raitt song? “I Can’t Make You Love Me” if you don’t.
59. Are you glad this interview is over? Hahahahahaha.