Ball Early Childhood Center custodian jams out with pre-k students at lunch
(Seguin) — The sounds of an acoustic guitar and students squealing in joy were recently shared across the internet, showing a glimpse outside Rachel Marek’s pre-k class at Seguin ISD’s Ball Early Childhood Center.
The video captured students dancing to live music provided by Ball’s head custodian Martes Martinez, who used his lunchtime to play guitar and sing for the students on that day.
After realizing how kids “absolutely” loved his music, the Seguin Daily News, like most of the thousands of viewers of that video, wanted to know more about this man behind the guitar.
Shocked but humbled by the reaction of those who watched the video, Martinez says that day was also pure joy for him as well.
“They loved it. I wasn’t expecting for it to go viral. I did it because I love the thrill of it, seeing the kids enjoy themselves but also, you never know who is going to be the next musician, who you can inspire and that’s what I like about doing that, playing for kids or playing for anybody,” said Martinez.
Photo courtesy Rachel Marek
The song played for the kids in the video, Pride and Joy by Stevie Ray Vaughan, is just one of the many songs that Martinez often performs. That’s because Martinez also finds himself behind a guitar on most nights and weekends with a band that he started with his brother Frank, The Backwater Buda Land Band. He says not only is Frank a substitute custodian with the Seguin ISD, but another one of its members, Mario Jimenez, is also a custodian at Jefferson Avenue Elementary. He says the band plays a great blend of rock, blues, country and even a bit of conjunto.
Martinez for years worked for the Gonzales ISD before moving to the Seguin ISD three years ago. He says when he gets the urge to play, he often pulls out his guitar on his lunch break and plays there quietly in the custodian closet.
Martinez says his 30-plus years of passion for music makes this kind of audience that much more special.
“I respect the comments that were so wonderful from teachers, the people, and parents. That is what blew me away. That was heartfelt. That was just amazing. I’m kind of on Cloud 9 but I’ll come back down but it is just something that I love. The work that we do for the kids – if you are an old janitor like me, they don’t realize the importance of what we do – some do and some don’t or what they do (in regard to) safety for the kids but I’m just comfortable here in the Seguin School District and they’ve treated me amazingly. I praise them. I really do,” said Martinez.
Ball Pre-K Principal Debra Reiley is grateful to have folks like Martinez on staff. Reiley says providing pure joy, as folks have been describing this interaction between Martinez and the kids, is what her campus is all about.
“To me, that just shows the Ball family that we have here because everyone of us has a piece that goes with these kids and supports the kids that are on this campus and I know he’s mentioned it a couple of times, you never know, there may be a musician standing out there in that crowd and what you have just done has inspired that kid – ‘ooh, I’d like to play the guitar, ooh, I like to play the drums.’ So, it’s part of our family here. That’s who we are for social and emotional and academic parts of growing kids,” Reiley.
Now that kids equate Martinez with his guitar, he doesn’t expect to be a regular performer on the Ball stage but does hope to return for another lunch break concert.
“I want to do it unsuspectedly because I think those are the blessings because if they know that I’m going to do it…well… but if I just come out and do it, it’s different. It’s more captivating. It’s more beautiful,” said Martinez.
Those who have not seen the video may not want to miss out on this gem of a video. The video can be checked out at seguintoday.com.