A Tribute to Dr. Pablo Martinez

CLASS OF 2027

He was my affinity group leader, and I didn’t know him that well, but he would always play music when class started to make us feel happy. From all of the stories that I have heard, he seems like an amazing person, and I am really upset that I didn't get to know him better. (Avery Coaxum, Class of 2027)

He was such a kind person with a warm heart. (Eddie Jacobowitz, Class of 2027)

From what I heard, Dr. Martinez had a huge impact on the school and on the kids. This is a big loss to the school but he will always be in our hearts. (Lynn Steinberg, Class of 2027)

He was an inspiring person, filling the room with sun as he walked in. (Anonymous, Class of 2027)

He was always in a good mood, which always put me in a good mood. (Anonymous, Class of 2027)

CLASS OF 2026

Dr. Martinez completely changed Spanish for me. I’d been taking it already for seven years before he was my teacher, but I learned more in that one year than I had since first grade. Not only were his classes about learning, they were fun. Singing, dancing, and laughing became a part of my every Spanish class. He taught his students, but more than that, he made them want to learn. (Salomé Faucon, Class of 2026)

I remember he would come to my homebase a lot last year. He was really sweet and funny. He was also my affinity group leader. He was truly an amazing person. (Anonymous, Class of 2026)

I always saw him laughing or smiling in the hallways and always making other people smile. (Anonymous, Class of 2026)

Dr. Martinez was a wonderful person who spread the joy inside of him to everyone he encountered. He was passionate about what he did, and he would always make his students feel supported and helped them improve. He also was a fun person and would regularly dance in class and have the entire class sing or meditate depending on everyone's mood. I, and I know the rest of the Riverdale community, will miss him greatly. (Anonymous, Class of 2026)

CLASS OF 2025

Over the last few days, I have been reflecting on when Dr. Martinez was my teacher. He always made sure to make class both fun and educational. After many classes we would dance the Macarena. He was filled with so much joy and happiness and spread his happiness to each kid in my class. His joy and presence will be greatly missed, but never forgotten. (Phoebe Karsch, Class of 2025)

Dr. Martinez was my 7th grade Spanish teacher. We would begin class every day, not by greeting each other formally in Spanish, but by doing a jig when we entered the classroom. If it wasn't energetic enough, we would have to do it again - and the whole class would dance along! Even though it was a class, we danced, we sang, we smiled, and we laughed. Dr. Martinez weaved fun and joy into our learning process, such as singing Spanish songs and learning Spanish traditional dances. We will continue to remember him always and keep our memories alive. He was a great teacher, and I was so lucky to have him! (Victoria Shen, Class of 2025)

Mr. Martinez was my Spanish teacher last year, and each and every day in the beginning of class he wanted to make us smile, so he played music and we spent five minutes of class dancing together. All he wanted was for us to smile and be happy, and he didn’t care if that took away from the class time. (Anonymous, Class of 2025)

CLASS OF 2024

He was such a kind soul, Coach Martinez. He would run with us on the tennis team, and he always had a smile and encouraged us to keep going even if we felt like we could not run anymore. He would always make practice so fun, and I looked forward to seeing him. May he Rest In Peace. (Annabelle Pantzer, Class of 2024)

Dr. Martinez cared about all of his students. When he saw that we were stressed or sad, he would cancel the lesson plan and play games or sing karaoke with us. He would always check in to make sure that we were okay. (Emily Topkis, Class of 2024)

Dr. Martinez was really cool. He had a lot of energy every time we met in class, which I have no idea where he got it from, so I'll definitely miss him. (Anonymous, Class of 2024)

Lauren Gilman/The Riverdale Review

CLASS OF 2023

He was one of the most kind, positive, and caring people I've ever met and definitely one of the best Spanish teachers I have ever had. (Jonah Stockwell, Class of 2023)

I personally was not very close with him, but a ton of my friends had him for Spanish and would always tell me about how much fun they had in his classes. I also remember during lunch last year he would walk up to the mic and make announcements, and I just remember seeing him as such a confident person with great energy and such a light in our community. (Anonymous, Class of 2023)

CLASS OF 2022

Profe Martinez brought joy with him everywhere he went and never failed to make me laugh or smile every class. With candy, a joke, or a good song, Profe often helped me get through the stress of the school day, and was never anything but cheerful even with all of his own school stress. That was just who he was, 100% selfless and loving life. He went above and beyond the role of a teacher and he taught me to be unapologetically me, his impact will stay with me forever. (Clara Forbes, Class of 2022)

Dr. Martinez was an incredibly loving and kind person. I was never on a team or in a class with him, but the varying moments that I got to spend with him made clear to me how amazing he was. His positive spirit was infectious. I will really miss seeing and speaking with you, Dr. Martinez. (Ben Ghatan, Class of 2022)

Pablo was a ray of sunshine on the cloudiest of days. On day one of preseason, we all fell in love with our new brilliant coach. Who was this man panting after us as we ran? He truly was more than our coach – he was our friend. From the minute we met him, he made us feel special and loved. He was always there, ready to make us laugh or listen to the troubles of our days. Pablo, I will miss shouting "Hola Pablo!" to you in the hallways every day out of excitement to see you. I will miss our Spanish conversations on the sidelines of matches. I will miss catching up as we ran during practice. I will miss seeing your smiling, proud face when I told you about my day. You were a once in a lifetime kind of person, and I'm forever grateful to have known you. (Lauren Gilman, Class of 2022)

The way Profe Martinez carried himself each day was a true inspiration to me.  After only being at Riverdale for two years, Profe Emerged as a leader in the community.  Always the brightest in the room, he never had a negative attitude, and always looked on the bright side. These are values everyone should adopt in their day to day lives. This is how I will remember him. (Shahe Jebejian, Class of 2022)

CLASS OF 2021

I had Dr. Martinez as my Spanish teacher for 11th grade, and my favorite memory of him is how he would always start the class by having us get up and dance around the room. He really went above and beyond and made everyone look forward to class each day. He would even dance on camera during our zoom classes. My mom told me that he had all of our parents dance during their curriculum day. He truly was a unique and special person. (Will Cross, Class of 2021)

Even though he only came to Riverdale about a year and a half ago, Profe was one of the most admired individuals in the Riverdale community. He truly understood what it meant to be a good teacher. He knew that memories of dancing together and singing Spanish karaoke would outlast memories of just another presentation or worksheet. He had a passion for his work. Profe had even more energy than my entire class combined, and he used his energy to inspire his students. (Alexis Geller, Class of 2021)

He was such a kind soul. He had a way of making people feel welcomed. (Anonymous, Class of 2021)

FACULTY & STAFF

Pablo could make lemonade out of the sourest of lemons. He taught me the true meaning of being posItive and enjoying life. He made the most out of every situation and saw the best in everyone. He would see strengths in people that they didn’t even know they had and would build their confidence without them even realizing. He turned failures into opportunities and took setbacks in stride. He was full of so much empathy, kindness and joy, and I honestly aspire to be like him. As soon as I would tell him I had an idea or I was thinking of something, he’d say “I’m in.” I would say “I haven’t even told you what it is yet!” He’d just laugh. He would smile and laugh with his full being. It was beautiful. He knew the true meanings of friendship and community. I am forever grateful for the short time we had together and will miss him dearly. (Susan Polise, Faculty & Staff)

I think often about that button with his own smiling face that Pablo wore. I think it was on the strap of his shoulder bag when we were waiting on line for the Mirimus covid test. I guess the button was a reminder to always offer his most smiling, positive self to those he met throughout the day. He always did. I take it as a reminder to do the same, and also to smile and be generous back to those like Pablo who give joy and support to others.  The smiles, the gifts keep shining. (Sarah Banks, Faculty & Staff)

It is almost impossible to believe that Pablo has been part of our community for such a short time because his impact has been so deep and far reaching. His love of teaching is only surpassed by his love for his students, his colleagues and the school. It's equally impossible to think about him without smiling for all of the joy that he exuded from his very core. He is one of the most positive, energetic and generous human beings I have ever had the fortune of having in my life, and I'm truly grateful for the ways that he touched my life and the life of so many people here. (Julie Choi, Faculty & Staff)

Pablo (Dr. Martinez) helped and supported other faculty members on top of his all his varied work with so many different students—and not only in the official role he took on in the Faculty Interests Committee. He always had a smile and reassuring words for me, his sometimes office-mate in the Language Dept. Office (the “Fishbowl”). We could talk about language and words, about work, about work-life balance, about entertainment—what movies or shows had he been watching during Covid-time, and what I should try to watch, I who don’t watch much TV—and several times about fashion.  And sometimes about where we come from. Pablo’s warmth and his support—and his wonderful, sure-handed work with  LGBTQ+ students each week during this pandemic—have meant so much to me. Pablo is a gem, and I’m blessed to have had this time with him. (Scott Ettinger, Faculty & Staff)

Eres un sol.  Tu luz brillará por siempre en nuestra comunidad.  (Shawn Fields, Faculty & Staff)

Pablo was one of the first people I met when I came to Riverdale last year and we completed a yearlong mentorship program together. I remember being so relieved that Pablo was in a group with me- he was hilarious, outgoing, gregarious and effervescent. I remember thinking “If someone like Pablo works at Riverdale, this must be the place for me.” He immediately made a place that was new to the both of us feel like a home. And this is my understanding of who Pablo was as a person- he made every space he entered feel immediately like home for everyone involved. (Allison Finder, Faculty & Staff)

Pablo radiated joy. Just crossing paths with him during the day would make my day brighter. Pablo dove into coaching with passion, a caring attitude, and a commitment to improving himself and his athletes that I found continuously inspiring. He will be missed by so many. (Katie Gendron, Faculty & Staff)

Pablo's compassion was infectious. It was pure joy and laughter talking to him. He was a kind person with so much love in his heart. (Johnny Hager, Faculty & Staff)

Starting my first year at Riverdale was challenging, especially going into my third week as a new employee at RCS during the pandemic. I had so many questions and made loads of mistakes. For my first year at RCS Pablo was one of the few who made my job a lot easier and enjoyable. He was so forgiving and so willing to help me out and/or make himself available when I requested it. He made the most of little moments in life, even moments through emails. Including those email threads that easily becomes an annoyance to any busy person. This one week, after a number of back and forth emails between Pablo and I and after multiple schedule changes, he made light of the situation and said, "I feel like this has been our communication week ... lol" Seeing this message alleviated the stress and guilt I had over me, considering the amount of times I had to change his schedule. He was not affected by the changes. His constant approach was being of support for whichever task was at hand. Which I have always been so thankful for. His presence on campus had an impact on me and I am very much so thankful to have had someone like Pablo during my first year at Riverdale. He is already missed. (Felicita Marie Johnson, Faculty & Staff)

It is impossible for me to picture Pablo without a smile on his face. He was ALWAYS smiling, and loved to share with pride the various accomplishments of his beloved students. I've never met a more positive, dedicated, or energetic teacher. (Valerie Keller, Faculty & Staff)

Pablo was simply the best. He cared so much for all of us. Being around him just made me happier. The world is better for having had him in it. (Joe Karman, Faculty & Staff)

Pablo was a kind and gentle soul who loved his work, his students, and his community! (Jenna King, Faculty & Staff)

While I only had the privilege of knowing Pablo for two years during his time at Riverdale, he was always warm, friendly and one of the most positive people on our campus. When I think of Pablo, I picture him bouncing down the halls with a big smile on his face, filled with energy, and sometimes humming a tune. He was friendly, approachable and full of life. He touched so many lives at Riverdale and made a lasting impression on his students and his colleagues alike. He will be sorely missed. (Rachel Klein, Faculty & Staff)

Reflecting on Pablo has made me smile throughout this heartbreaking week because he was the epitome of vibrant energy, warmth, and positivity. You couldn’t not smile around him. He was also fiercely intelligent and curious about everything. During his first weeks at Riverdale, he made sure to visit all the Language Department classes he could and he came to my Latin and Greek classes. He even learned the Greek alphabet. Then for the rest of our time together at Riverdale, whenever I saw him, he always greeted me in Greek or Latin. Pablo wanted to learn by coming to my classes, but he understood the fundamental essence of languages: to communicate and connect with people. I will miss him dearly. (Melissa Marturano, Faculty & Staff)

Photo Courtesy of Nicky Enright

Pabs taught me to smile a little more every day. One day, I noticed that he was wearing a large pin on his ID lanyard. This pin was a picture of him smiling. This picture/pin symbolizes Pablo in so many ways. First, he was a happy, kind and thoughtful person, so the smile was a perfect symbol of that. Second, I think Pablo wore this pin because we are all wearing masks due to the pandemic. He wanted everyone to see what was under the mask, a happy, loving and thoughtful person - so he wore the pin. (John Pizzi, Faculty & Staff)

A great listener, supportive, and kind. (Susan Poliacik, Faculty & Staff)

I loved eating with you and having your leftover pineapples at lunch. But that was in addition to sitting with you and sharing laughter and stories. Your kindness and joy were so impactful and I will always remember you with heart and joy. (Nicole Sin Quee, Faculty & Staff)

Pablo was an incredibly special human being, a passionate teacher, and a dedicated member of this community. We still feel his amazing spirit, we can see his huge smile, and we can envision him dancing as students entered his classes...and how they often danced with him. He made work and classes fun and engaging and we will never forget him. We send our collective love to his family.  We were blessed to have had this time with him and we know that we are better as people and as a community for having known him. (Milton Sipp, Faculty & Staff)

During a dinner break at a Riverdale event I was attending, I was terrified because I did not know who to sit next to; I was thinking I would just sit by myself to avoid being my usual awkward self. Pablo sat down next to me and started up a conversation with me in a way that made me extremely comfortable and even confident. It was impossible to feel nervous talking to him; he was so warm, so unassuming, and he radiated joy. Though that interaction was brief, it really stuck with me because his presence completely changed the tenor of that event for me. (Anonymous, Faculty & Staff)

It was always easy to see Pablo's devotion to his students and to the art of teaching. Pablo approached each and everyone with sincerity and kindness. He was a true gift to the Riverdale community. (Anonymous, Faculty & Staff)