COLTON COURIER We ekly
March 21 , 2024
Vol 152, NO. 1 3
R e p . A g u i l a r P i n s D e a f Je t E n g i n e M e c h a n i c C h o n C a l d e r i l l a a n d 2 6 O t h e r I E Ve t e r a n s , H i g h l i g h t i n g S e r v i c e i n V i e t n a m
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PHOTO MANNY SANDOVAL
Colton Resident and Vietnam War Veteran Chon Calderilla (left) receiving a pin from Representative Pete Aguilar (right) at the VFW Post 6476 on March 18, 2024.
By Manny Sandoval
t was an uplifting afternoon at the Colton VFW on March 18, as Rep. Pete Aguilar hosted a commemoration ceremony for Inland Empire Vietnam War veterans, bestowing upon them a symbol of national gratitude.
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As part of the national Vietnam Veterans Commemoration, 27 veterans were presented with the Vietnam Veterans Lapel Pin, a token provided by the Department of Defense, in a heartfelt gesture acknowledg-
ing their sacrifices.
"Today, I'm here at the Colton VFW, and we honored 27 veterans and gave them each a commemorative pin that was passed and authorized by Congress as a way to acknowledge and appreciate the work of our service members," stated Rep. Aguilar. He emphasized the significance of the event, adding, "So many of them were sent to Vietnam and had horrific experiences, so we're making sure we honor them around the country and I’m so grateful that we're able to do so here in Colton."
Among the veterans was Chon Calderilla of Colton, a Vietnam Veteran who served as a jet engine mechanic from 1960 to 1964. "They sent me over to Africa and I lost my hearing; today I'm 100 percent disabled," shared Calderilla, reflecting on the sacrifices he made during his service. “When jets are in the sky you can hear them from the ground, now imagine that sound in front of your face for four years.”
He also expressed his excitement about the recognition, saying, "It’s exciting and an Veterans, cont. next pg.
C o l t o n H i g h S c h o o l i s O f f i c i a l l y a n AV I D N a t i o n a l Demonstration School
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PHOTO ERIN DALLATORRE
AVID Club President Isaac Ornelas lends his voice to the conference as they discuss campus-wide implementation of AVID.
By Erin Dallatorre, Colton High School Pepper Bough Editor-in-Chief
he Whitmer Auditorium was decorated with ornate balloon decorations for the official Revalidation Ceremony held on the morning of March 7th. AVID students from all grades, students who were evaluated by RIMS AVID, AVID teachers, and District officials filled
the seats in anticipation of the banner reveal.
On February 6th it was already confirmed that CHS had earned the title. All that had to be done were two final conferences held this morning. One with AVID students and another with teachers across campus who have worked together implementing AVID strategies into their everyday learning.
Both conferences had a long table filled with people on both sides. Teachers and Non-teachers. If you weren’t told otherwise, you wouldn’t think that this team was very big in the first place. But considering what CHS has had in the past, AVID truly has built a community at CHS. “So the ones [teachers] that were in the CHS AVID cont. next pg.