Schools

Somerset Elementary Honors Electron Boy with $3,000 Donation, "Slime" Their Principal

Erik Martin, who died in September and was known worldwide as Electron Boy, was honored by his fellow Somerset students, who raised $3,000 in his honor and earned the chance to "slime" the principal.

Somerset Elementary students honored the memory of a Bellevue boy who made worldwide headlines when his wish to be a superhero was granted.

Former Somerset student Erik Martin became “Electron Boy" one spring day in 2010, thanks to the efforts of the Washington chapter of the Make-A-Wish Foundation, which grants wishes to children with serious illnesses.

Erik, who was then 13-years-old and suffering from cancer along with other longterm illnesses, donned a red and blue costume that he helped design and became “Electron Boy.”

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His day included saving the Seattle Sounders from villains “Dr. Dark” and “Blackout Boy” -- played by Edgar Hansen and Jake Anderson of the Discovery Channel’s “Deadliest Catch,” freeing tourists trapped at the Space Needle, rescuing a Puget Sound Energy worker in a bucket truck, and riding from place to place in a DeLorean, according to his obituary.

Make-A-Wish coordinated hundreds of volunteers from multiple organizations including Puget Sound Energy (check out Puget Sound Energy's Flickr set of Electron Boy's visit) the Seattle Sounders, Space Needle, Bellevue Police, King and Snohomish county sheriffs and the City of Seattle.

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But his fame didn't stop with that one day. The story spread worldwide and numerous fans paid tribute to him,popular websites, and a comic book company created an "Electron Boy" comic book that raised money for his medical expenses.

Erik died in September at the age of 14 at his home, according to his obituary.

In his honor, Somerset students had hoped to raise $300 to donate in Erik's memory and ended up raising ten times that amount, according to the Bellevue School District. The school actually raised ten times that amount. Erik’s younger brother presented a $3,119 check to the Make-A-Wish Foundation on Friday afternoon at an assembly.

As a reward to the students, Somerset's principal, Brian Teppner, let the students in the classes that raised the most money cover him in lime-green slime. The teachers of the classes that raised the most money, first grade teacher Melinda Schwartz and fifth grader teacher Joe Dethloff, also got slimed.

Schwartz said her first graders raised about $420.

"They brought in a lot of change," Schwartz said. "They went and emptied out their piggy banks and their wallets and it was really awesome to see them learning about helping out others who are in need. It was very inspiring."

"It's going to help other kids who are going through tough times. I couldn't be more proud of our students and how they helped support Make a Wish Foundation," Teppner said after getting slimed. "It's a great thing they did."


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