Arlie O. Petters

Arlie Petters (http://news.duke.edu/2006/02/images/petters_arlie.jpg)

My hero is Arlie O. Petters. He is a mathematician/scientist and he is a teacher. In my mind he is a world leader. He is a big inspiration to me. I was lucky to have made contact with him over e-mail so a lot of the info below will be from Arlie himself! I hope after you read this, he will be your hero too.

My hero started out as a normal kid, but he studied for long amounts of time. Arlie Petters came from the poor country of Belize, located in Central America. Although he was poor, 6 year old Arlie carried around a makeshift briefcase. His mom would tell him to go outside and play with the other boys. He would go outside for 10 minutes and then he would come right back. When he was a teenager, his mom summoned him to live with her in Brooklyn; he was happy to move to the U.S.A. because he had always wondered about what it was like there. At the time, he was living in a town with about 3,000 people. So, he told me it was exciting to move to New York City with its millions of people, skyscrapers, and impressive bridges. Arlie started Hunter College but family friction left him without a home. Before giving up and going back to Belize he made one last desperate attempt to stay in school. He showed up at the doorstep of the Jim, the head of a minority program, and after he had told him about his situation, Jim was not going let him down. Then in a couple of weeks or so Jim told him that he would have arrangements for him to move into Hunter College dorms. And now he has been living in the U.S.A for about thirty years.

In my interview with Arlie Petters, he told me about what subjects he had studied. One of those subjects was gravitational lensing. To find the info he needed, he had to study many books and stay on top of many research papers. He has even added a little on Einstein's theories, who is Arlie's biggest inspiration! From a boy, he was curious not only about how a clock works, but how the universe does as well. He learned early on that he would have to study mathematics and physics to understand these things. Now, Arlie has found a way to test whether space has a fourth dimension beyond length, width, and height! He has told me that a number of students are following his footsteps.

Not only is Arlie a successful scientist/mathematician, he also started the Petters Institute of Learning. In his mind the kids of Belize are his first priority. That's why he started the school in Belize. It helps needy people improve their standard of living. He wants the kids of Belize to have a very good education. For many kids in Belize, you don't have to pay to get in. He has also made books for Central Americans to use in the schools. Arlie Petters is branching out to his community by helping kids with their math, science and all other subjects, including life.

Arlie (http://www.dukemagazine.duke.edu/dukemag/issues/010208/images/010208-lg-32mg6477a.jpg)

Arlie Petters is my hero because he can help the world understand different subjects like gravitational lensing, and he will make all the kids that he teaches happy! In my mind he started the best school ever! I would think all of the kids that went to his school will get the best education ever. He is a huge hero and an even bigger inspiration to me. I think he is the best hero ever!