Issue of June 6, 2003
Special Senior Graduation Issue
Volume 86, No. 13
Click on a story title link to view the story
Senior Awards Night Results
Veteran Teachers Say Goodbye
Student reveal post graduation plans
Good Times will always live on
Students recall the best and worst of the last four years
A Toast
Crystal Ball Time: where will they be in ten years?
Going from Senior in high school to Freshman in life
Reflections on staff and students who have changed our lives
Senior Awards Night brings laughter, tears, scholarship bucks
by Denise Alcantar and Lisa NamnathWhile 50-75 seniors sat in gray metal folding chairs on the stage of the Whitmer Auditorium with lights shining directly in their eyes, scholarships were awarded, futures were determined, hopes were realized and dreams were lost. It began June 3rd at 6:00 p.m., well not quite; it started late, but no one was worried about time once the lights turned on and students realized all the chairs plus many extra ones had been filled.
It was an evening to honor academic achievements, California Scholarship Federation (CSF) Lifetime memberships, medals, scholarships, graduation speaker, and of course Valedictorian and Salutatorian. Most seniors received academic medals, in the categories of Gold, Silver and Bronze. The Gold represents students with 4.0 GPAs or higher, the Silver was awarded to students with a 3.5 GPAs or higher, and the Bronze medals were given to students who had a 3.0 GPA or higher; these students were also required to pursue a rigorous A-G requirement course schedule.
Now to play Master of Ceremonies, in case you want a little more info on the awards. The CSF Lifetime membership award is, “ Like National Honor Society, but higher, you must get almost all A’s,” explained counselor Sharon Halter-Day. “ It is a very high recognition.” Along with the Lifetime members, students who received athletic scholarships were recognized at the ceremony, and Colton High scholarships were presented. The Colton scholarships come from community organizations as well as national organizations, including the Colton High scholarship fund. Halter-Day says, “The teachers, counselors and other administrators have a golf tournament every year and raise about $5,000 for scholarships.” Then Mrs. Halter-Day told me a “secret,” something that a lot of students don’t know, the Colton scholarships or the “orange sheet” scholarships are the easier to get than most out there. If you fill out the orange form, you applied to 70 to 100 scholarships. “Juniors, or younger students, listen up and you can get money that you were never in line for,” proclaimed Halter-Day.
The Valedictorian and Salutatorian were also announced: Valedictorian for class of 2003 is Christine Nuygen, the Co-Salutatorians are Brenda Quintero and Fausto Castillas. The two speakers for graduation are (The Pepper Bough’s very own) Priscilla Montgomery and Matt Vinzon. The AVID Seniors, which for the first time had 100% college acceptance rate, were presented with a sash. Honor Guard, which is composed of the top ten juniors (grades/GPA), were announced and presented with carnations. This may be the class with one of the highest amount of seniors not graduating, but Senior Awards night proved that many students are graduating this year, and with very high honors.
This ceremony was the last where attendance was not mandatory to receive awards. Beware juniors, next year if you get an invitation, it may be for a medal, but if there is even a slight chance of being awarded a scholarship, go or your award is forfeited and is given to the runner up.
Veteran Teachers say farewell
by Lisa Namnath
Through the black wrought iron fence, past the offices is a path that for many leads to classes. Classes they enjoy, they might look forward to, for others it is a walk to a room where they will face a challenge. This challenge is one many people dare not try. It is teaching a group of students something, anything. It is not as easy as one may think. This year several of these brave educators are leaving Colton High.
Scott Klemm, Al Schwartz, Gary Abbott and Frank Miller are all looking back upon their days at Colton High with fond memories and hopes for the future; a future that goes on without Colton High as their employer. They plan to go on to do many things, but they will miss the school, their fellow teachers and the students.
Klemm who teaches World History, has worked in this district for 36 years and at this school for 14. John Czach, a colleague of Klemm’s called him “a kind person, and a great friend.” Whether it is his fascinating displays of historical memorabilia, that is part of his own personal collection, or his lively discussions about Ghandi, Klemm will be sorely missed as students return next year to find his classroom devoid of his presence.
Miller who has worked with the district for 30 years and with this school for 29, is going to continue teaching at San Bernardino Valley College. He is retiring because “after you work a long time at a certain place, it is just something you do.” He taught Calculus, Geometry and Math Support here this last year.
Abbott who has also worked in this district for 30 years and spent an amazing 29 at this school will miss the students and staff but won’t miss “the paperwork.”
These teachers will be sorely missed. May they enjoy their retirement as much as we have enjoyed having them here as teachers.
Where are they going? What will they be doing? Grads reveal future plans
by April ValentiYou've just graduated, now what are you going to do next? “I’m going to Disneyland.”
Ok, but really what about after grad nite? What are your plans for the future? Here are some of your peers on their choices.Valerie Reimer
Post high school plans: RCC transfer to Cal State
PB: Why did you make this choice?
I made this choice because I am going to be an elementary school teacher and RCC and Cal State have a really good program.
PB: What do you look forward to the most?
I think I look forward to just the whole college scene, simply getting out of high school and starting a new experience.
PB: What are you not looking forward to?
I think just the stress of working and going to college. It’s successful but I can do it.
PB: What did high school do to prepare you for this “next step”?
I think it taught me a lot about relationships and responsibility.Jon Kerans
Post high school plans: United States Marine Corps
PB: Why did you make this choice?
An experience in the military is a once-in-a –lifetime thing, nothing can replace the feeling of pride and honor in serving your country, but mainly because I needed the challenge.
PB: What do you look forward to the most?
Boot camp, mainly, but just the idea of being away from home is nice.
PB: What are you not looking forward to?
My relationship with God has made me look forward to all upcoming events, positive and negative.
PB: What did high school do to prepare you for this “next step”?
The knowledge I attained helped me to find the wisdom and courage to do this. One thing that you must remember is, you can communicate and teach knowledge, but wisdom is not communicable.Eduardo Sahagun
Post high school plans: UTI
PB: Why did you make this choice? I made this choice because I like working on cars and wanted to learn more and become a professional.
PB: What do you look forward to the most?
I look forward to helping my parents and brothers with what I learned and the money I will make.
PB: What are you not looking forward to?
All the headaches in the tech. school and waking up at 5:00 a.m. to go to school.
PB: What did high school do to prepare you for this “next step”?
School helped me by having auto shop and metal shop. These classes made me realize what I wanted to do.Fernando Balarza
Post high school plans: work
PB: Why did you make this choice? I made this choice because school is too boring for me and I need money now.
PB: What do you look forward to the most?
I look forward to moving out.
PB: What are you not looking forward to?
But then again I don’t look forward to it.
PB: What did high school do to prepare you for this “next step”?
Just gave me a diploma.Brenda Quintero
Post high school plans: Four- year college
PB: Why did you make this choice? I figured that it would be the best bet since it is the closest to home and the cheapest thing around as well. I also think that if I decide its not for me, I can always transfer.
PB: What do you look forward to the most? The freedom of doing things on your own and not having people on your back all the time and also the diversity that I’ll encounter.
PB: What are you not looking forward to? The homework and working in order to pay for it.
PB: What did high school do to prepare you for this “next step”? Set the guidelines to follow so that I would take the adequate classes to meet both my personal needs and my lifetime goals
Good times here at Colton High will always live on
by Leticia Zamora
“Life has no limitations except the ones you make,” best spoken by Les Brown. In only a few more days some of us will set the bar, and do what many in this forsaken town thought unthinkable.
We are going to graduate. It is then life willcommence. We began our four years here at Colton back in the fall of 1999. Since then, many things have changed. We have changed. High school has taken many of us from the brink of adolescence to the edge of adult hood. We are about to embark on yet another journey. This time, it’ll be in the real world, not the dreamlike world of foot ball games, pom-poms, band competitions, drama productions, choir concerts, speeches, art projects, ceramic mishaps, pep assemblies, and proms.
What we do from here on out doesn’t count for a grade, or even respect, but it’ll be what decides our future. What would any of us be with out friends? “…There’s the people you’ve known forever. Who like… know you… in this way. That other people can’t. Because they’ve seen you change. They’ve let you change…,” this My So Called Life quote is no exception here at Colton. Growing up in a small community where every one, for the most part any way, knows everyone else, there is little room for maturity. Losing friends is never easy, but this too is part of life. I’m sure every one has had their share of petty disputes that have ended not so well, but trust me; those people you’ve touched will never forget you and what you did for them. I know I will never forget those that have made a difference in my life. It was the friends I had here that made high school all the more enjoyable as well as endurable. When letting go of childish ways, in addition to preparing for the rest of our lives, it is imperative that the people we love and have learned from surround us. Believe in them, and be sure to make them aware of that faith. It’ll help them to believe in themselves.
Don’t forget the ones you’ll leave behind. It’s important to remember where you came from, and who helped to shape you in to the beautiful person you’ve grown to be.
Stand out in this life. Colton is infamous for holding people down, and is blamed for the unsuccessfulness of generations before us. Don’t be a statistic. Push your self to excel in your areas of strengths. To all my friends that started their families at an early age; be proud of your selves. Your children hold the power in this world. Just graduating high school as a parent is a tremendous feat. You all have my utmost respect. Give credit where credit is due. This would be to your parents, your siblings, extended family, friends, loved ones, teachers, mentors, and your counselors.
Their patience, love, understanding, and encouragement are the only reason we will hold a diploma in our hands next Thursday evening. Don’t forget to thank them for all of their support thus far. Let them know it will never be forgotten.
It’s insane how fast these years have gone by. It feels like I just walked on to campus for my first time only yesterday. Mixed emotions plague my gut and my mind. I’m sure you’re feelings are close to mine if not equal. Remember your roots, and go out and show the rest of the world just what we Yellow jackets can do. Thank you Class of 2003 for all the memories, these were the best days of our lives. Learn from your mistakes and follow your heart once in a while. Perhaps we’ll finally get it right.
Students recall the best and worst from the past four years
by Claudia Gonzales
For most of the seniors, we can say that they had the opportunity to attend Colton High for all four years and we know that some of us liked attending this school. We know that most of us had ups and downs throughout the years, but most of all we can’t forget those best and worst memories that we had throughout the years. We can say that every year we met new friends and many of us are thankful to have met them. According to some students and what they had to say:
Ransom De Castro: “My best memory is when I got to play football because I got to know people and basically they knew you. My worst memory was when I wasn’t academically eligible to play football.”
Anthony Rodriguez: “The worst memory I have is sophomore year Winter Home Coming Dance, when all the balloons started falling down and the pillars falling on people, I was expecting to see some better than what had happened that day. I would have to say that one of my best memories is sophomore year during P.E. when I got to meet “Whitey”, DeMone, Pedrosa, and DJ.”
Erica Garza: “I would have to say that my best memory was chillin’ with the homies and playing Powder Puff. One of the worst memories was all the drama of the people with the ‘she said that he said,’ it was just not a real nice thing to go through.”
Liz Serrano: “The worst thing that ever happened to me was when I stopped being friends with a certain person during the beginning of junior year. The best was when I found out that I was chosen to be on court for the Homecoming Dance this year.”
Britney Young: “My best memory is hanging out with my friends and my worst memory is the teachers who can’t keep it together and are unorganized.”
Mario Granado: “My best memory is winning the championship for football freshman year. My worst memory is losing the playoffs for football this year.”
Predictions: Where will they be in the next ten years?
by Lisa Namnath and Raylene Carrillo
-After graduating with honors and receiving numerous job offers, Priscilla Montgomery leaves the profession of law and decides to spend her life singing the National Anthem for the first game of the World Series.
-After spending time as an out of work actor, Mitch Rector realizes a dream and gets picked to star in his own cameo-comedy show. He gets so excited he changes his name to Scud. His producers refuse to change the name of the show to “Scud-diddly-umptious” and so the show is cancelled and they part on artistic differences. Later Mitch tries to get hooked up with a model, yeah it worked and she was an axe murderer on the weekends. (RIP.)
-Kyle Wheatley will work as a pilot for a major airline, he will be on permanent leave however, after witnessing a small green man tearing up the wings of his plane… sadly to say there is no small green man. (Kyle is still cool though.)
-After attending a school of theology, Jerry Ayala denounced all worldly possessions and now lives happily with his wife in Houston, spreading the word of God, in an Airstream “baked potato” trailer.
-If you happen to look up Jean LaBelle, you would find she has become a teacher, she is extremely happy and spends her spare time perfecting her time machine, secretly located in her basement and called “The David.”
-After becoming the best at everything and refusing any recognition, Christine Nguyen retires to a life of peace and quiet. Then after getting bored she founds the school for “Super-extremely gifted children,” and was featured on 20/20 with a strangely preserved Barbara Walters.
-Kerry Ortloff lives in the forest in a lime-green house. She changes the strawberry ice cream lures for Big foot daily and continues to write off-the-wall horoscopes for national publications as “Madame Ortloff”. In other news, she is known for her uncanny ability to pick great music.
-Heather Weppler has obtained her teaching credential, started a family and has become a much beloved Physics teacher. She donates her summers to mission trips around the world and has dedicated a wall in her house to “the greatest band,” The Cure.
-Nicole Miller is a fire fighter and boy is she great at that but one day when she was extinguishing a fire she met the love of her life and had a kid. Only to find out he was gay and took off with a guy named Steve. She gave up firefighting and becomes a model for Covergirl. It’s ok, now you can follow in Ross’s (from Friends) footsteps. Better luck in your next marriage.
-Sean Gomez becomes a famous clothing designer. His line becomes the most unique because of its completeness. You cannot buy a Sean G shirt you buy the shirt, pants, socks, underwear, shoes, and optional watch and sunglasses.
-After a successful career as a trial lawyer, Narmin Shahin, decides to leave the profession to be a super hero. She uses the name “The Norminator” she meets Superman and Batman while on crime fighting exploits and eventually settles to living with the love of her life (as far as she can tell) named Malik.
- A photographer by the name of Paul Lopez takes pictures 24/7. Till one day there was a fire and Lopez being the great photographer that he is tried to get a good shot of the flames. He ended up living the rest of his life with a camera permanently stuck to his right hand. The doctors said there would be a chance of losing his life if they removed it.
-The author of the worst seller I’m right and I’ll prove it, Ryne Shetterly ends up selling ten copies, all residing in the Shetterly household. One of the chapters is entitled “Always go south when you live in Southern California”.
-Anthony Hamilton becomes the world’s best soccer player. He tours the world wearing his medallion that says “ Spirit of victory”.
A Toast
Author UnknownRaise your glass to the sky
With hopes and dreams held high.
To the graduates I toast…Here’s to the friends we’ve lost and gained
And the people we’ll never know by name.
To the bonds that we’ve made and albums we filled,
Memories that may fade but never be killed.Here’s to the phone calls filled with tears,
And to the hours spent talking away our fears.
To the people we thought deserved our hearts,
Whom now we bash and rip apart.Here’s to the pictures in frames with stories to say,
That we will be sure to pack when we go away
To the football games we watched beneath the lights
And our cheers and chants drifting into the night.Here’s to proms and dances,
And high school romances.
To homecoming games,
With all the wins in our name.Here’s to late nights we’ve spent cramming for tests
And mornings where coffee made up for our rest.
To the dances and events that took months to create,
The night before worries that came too late.Here’s to the tears we knew we’d cry,
To the people and places we say good-bye.
To the wild and bizarre things we’ve done,
That we will remember to be the most fun.Here’s to the letter we left unsigned,
May our identities be revealed all in due time.
To the relationships we wonder how we ever lived without
And the crushes we look back on and laugh about.So now it is time to place our glasses down,
Put our caps on and turn our tassels around.
Listen for our names and let them echo through,
And realize how fast these four years just flew
Going from Senior in High School to Freshman in Life
by Narmin Shahin
High school lives forever but is never long lived. As many of you know it in four days we are graduating; it’s something we have been waiting to come for four years. We have changed, learned and become new people and it’s finally time to go into the real world. Nothing is meant to last forever and that includes high school because then everything would just be too easy. This experience has lasted us a good four years: 35,040 hours dedicated to this school and many weeks of hard work, tests, projects and presentations. We have worked and struggled for so many years that we need to leave.
How can you not want to leave? You need to take all the knowledge you’ve learned and take it into the real world and do what you can and make what you will. We all have had our share of mistakes and regrets but that only makes us stronger. These past four years are unexplainable because I can’t put into words what I am leaving behind. A set of friends that have always been there for me and that I hope will continue to be there after all this. In return I can only hope that I will return the favor.
Classrooms and hallways full of memories, and moments that you will never forget. Teachers that made the difference even though they might not know it. Football games and school dances that let you have a blast with all your friends. Last but most important the thing I am going to miss the most is just Colton High School in general. Even though we are leaving and moving on to take the path the future has for us, don’t forget where your home has been for the last four years.
I know we are all scared and don’t want to leave because we don’t think we’re ready for what’s out there. The thing that is misunderstood is that we have been ready. We grew up so much and have reached higher heights without even noticing every one has been ready. As I leave you for the last time on this paper and in this school I want everyone to look back to his or her freshman year and remember how they were. Then look at yourself now and notice how much you’ve changed. Always remember, “ If you will it there is no dream."
Reflections of staff and students that have changed our lives...
“Mrs. Berch not only was she a fantastic teacher but she also gave
me so much advice that I will take with me for the rest of my
life. Thank you I love you Mrs. Berch.” Paula Kassouf
“Mrs. Khairallah because she taught me so much and she truly cares about her students, and she appreciates your mom jokes!” Erikk Demone
“Lydia Leyva because of her I am where I am today she believed
in me when no one else did so I thank her.” Leticia Miranda
“Mrs. Green because she was able to make learning fun and I enjoyed it.” Brenda Quintero
“Delgado because he knows how I work and he know how to make you learn a way you know how and I like his teaching methods they are really good.” Frank Quiroga
“Mrs. Tornero because I had her for three wonderful years and she has taught me a lesson of hope watching her prayers past …her baby." Jerry Ayala
“There are a lot of students on different diversities on so many levels such as Adolfo Arteaga, bright, very smart but kind of rough, I made him interested and helped him write and speak better.” Mr.Czach
“Mr. Czach because he taught me what to expect out of life and how to be prepared.” Melissa Nicks
“ Narmin Shahin because she is part Egyptian and I am studying Egyptian hieroglyphics right now.” Mr. Pearce
“Mr. Pearce because he taught me that sometimes you just need to think about yourself.”
Chuck Saenz“Mrs. Potterton because she made a difference in my learning and in other students too.” Sandy Sandhu
“ Mrs. Miller because she helped me pass my writing competencies she gave me the opportunity and faith.” Amy Reiter
“Mr. Pearce because he made a difference in my life, he taught me how to not obey the rules you gotta let loose sometimes.” Sanjay Coubry