Capuchino celebrates 75 years 

Although Michael Salazar did not go to Capuchino himself, both of his sons did and after working in various roles in the PTA, he eventually joined the Capuchino Alumni Association. Now president of the board, Salazar’s work on the 75th anniversary celebration is the latest way in which he hopes to highlight Capuchino’s greatness. 

“For me, I was so impressed with the school when my kids were there, I wanted to support the community in keeping those things going and making sure those programs were around,” said Salazar, also a San Bruno councilmember. 

The 75th celebration is not only to commemorate Capuchino’s history, it is to honor the work done to get to its current state. 

“The focus is somewhat on looking back, reminiscing about the way the school used to look, points of pride in its history, but it’s also bridging that to where we are now,” Salazar said. 

The celebration also provides an opportunity to really show off the school, Salazar said. 

Following the passage of Measure L by voters in 2020, Capuchino benefited significantly from major facility improvements that have left the school unrecognizable to older alums, he said. Students will be leading tours of the campus on Saturday. 

“We’re very proud of the way our school is looking right now, so this gives us an opportunity to celebrate the good things happening there and show off,” Salazar said. 

Beyond facilities, improvements have also been made to revitalize the school’s legacy as having an incredibly strong music program. At Saturday’s celebration, the Capuchino Marching band, color guard and cheer team will perform and showcase the school’s strength. 

Capuchino High School first opened in September 1950 to serve students in San Bruno, Millbrae and Burlingame. The school’s 34-acre campus rests upon land historically linked to Rancho del Capuchino, a Spanish-era land grant, which is where it got its name, according to a press release. 

A part of the San Mateo Union High School District, Cappuccino is the only in the district offering its International Baccalaureate program, introduced in 2003. 

The celebration will be an opportunity to connect generations of Mustangs and revel in the legacy of Capuchino High School, Salazar said. 

“It will be great to have participation from a spectrum of all the old graduating classes and have conversations about what things were like,” Salazar said. 

The event will take place from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 25, at 1501 Magnolia Ave. in San Bruno. It is free and open to the public, and guests are encouraged to don their green and gold attire.