Martin Elementary School’s 100th anniversary on October 29, 2022, served as both a celebration and a coming out party for the various offshoots of South San Francisco Unified School District’s (SSFUSD) performing arts program, which had been temporarily paused with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020.
Members from the South San Francisco city council kicked off the festivities with a proclamation, before giving way to the Parkway Heights Middle School symphonic band and the South San Francisco High School choir, dance, cheer, and ballet folklorico performers.
“When we were planning this, we thought. . .wouldn’t it be great if we involved ex-Meteors, whether they were students before or staff members,” said Martin Elementary School Principal Jonathan Covacha.
Students from Martin Elementary often go on to attend Parkway Heights Middle School and subsequently South San Francisco High after graduation.
First grade teacher Christina Bonite, who attended Martin Elementary as a fourth grader, said it was exciting to see so many faces, old and new, come out for the event, which had been delayed a year due to the pandemic.
“My husband’s third grade teacher was here. My first grade teacher was here,” said Bonite. “It’s the best day ever.”
She said the former teachers were also amazed at the renovations that had taken place since their time.
The celebrations concluded with a chorus of “Happy Birthday” sung by Martin Elementary students to the school as well as renditions of “Better Place” by Rachel Platten and Sister Sledge’s “We Are Family”.
“When Vice Mayor Nicolas was giving the proclamation for Martin being in the city for 100 years, it just made me realize when I look in the crowd that we have three different timelines merging,” Covacha mused. “We had the past—the former staff members and former students of Martin. We had the present including me. . . And then also just looking at the students—the future not only of Martin but the city— so it's really great to see them all in school.”