"I am truly blessed to have met Mr. Zera at Canisius, and I am honored to call him a teacher, coach, and most importantly a mentor.” The six 2026 Mr. Canisius finalists all had their photo taken with a faculty member of their choice during the seniors' final week of school. Here is why Cole Frederick ’26 chose Math teacher Joe Zera '01: "Mr. Zera's impact has helped transform me into the person I am today. His guidance, kindness and determination have all been characteristics that I aspire to. Whether learning in his classroom as a freshman or playing basketball for him, Mr. Zera has always inspired and motivated me to become a better version of myself. "I have always looked forward to stopping by Mr. Zera’s classroom to say hello. His constant smile and warm welcome has made a true impact on my everyday life at Canisius." Zera's thoughts on Frederick: "I taught Cole in Geometry Honors and coached him on the JV basketball team. In class, he was steady and dependable. He took his ...