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Grand Terrace residents get high school name they wanted


10:00 PM PDT on Wednesday, April 29, 2009

By MELANIE C. JOHNSON
The Press-Enterprise

COLTON - The school board's third vote on what to call the planned high school in Grand Terrace proved to be the charm Wednesday night.

At a special meeting, the Colton Joint Unified School District Board of Education voted 4-0 to rename the 67-acre campus Grand Terrace High School at the Ray Abril Jr. Educational Complex.

Vice President Mel Albiso and trustees Frank Ibarra and David Zamora were absent.

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About 120 people packed the district board room on South Mount Vernon Avenue.

Grand Terrace resident Amanda Betten, who had helped organize a state testing protest against the district, praised the board and said her group plans to form a Grand Terrace High School Foundation to support of the campus.

Not everyone was happy.

Grand Terrace resident David Batyi said the inclusion of Abril's name was "ridiculous."

"I feel that the board can redeem itself if they just name it Grand Terrace High School," he said. "That's all we want."

The suggested change came from trustee Robert Armenta Jr.

The action follows weeks of discord between the school board and Grand Terrace residents who were upset with the board's decision in March to name the city's first high school after Abril, a former longtime trustee, instead of calling it Grand Terrace High School.

Last week, the board considered a compromise to rename the school Grand Terrace High School, with the tagline "honoring Ray Abril," but the motion died in a tie vote because trustee David Zamora was absent.

Armenta, who advocated naming the school after Abril, said the change honors both Grand Terrace residents and Abril. In addition to the high school, the campus will have a career and technology center.

"This renaming proposal both respects the city identity of Grand Terrace and duly pays tribute to Mr. Ray Abril Jr.'s advocacy and passion for children's progress in the classroom," Armenta said.

Abril's daughter, Melinda Medina, said the family supports the change and that the honor is well deserved.

"You're never going to make everyone happy," she said. "It's a compromise and I hope the residents of Grand Terrace will accept this."

Reach Melanie C. Johnson at 951-368-9489 or mjohnson@PE.com

Point of pride
Posted: 04/29/2009 05:37:03 PM PDT


Concerning the naming of the high school in Grand Terrace, I believe the board has not realized the full weight of their decision to name the school after a former board member rather than the community it is to serve.

Some may ask why the issue is of such importance and why people care one way or the other. The answer is simple: The school not only serves the community but also represents said community in both academic and athletic settings.

I am a resident of Grand Terrace and have lived here most of my life. I graduated from Colton High and was proud to represent Colton not only as a student but also as an athlete. Although I lived in Grand Terrace I felt a part of the Colton community by playing for and representing my school.

As a teacher and the head boy's soccer coach at Bloomington High School, I again feel a part of a community in which I do not live. Every time my boys put on the BHS uniform I make sure to remind them they represent not only themselves and their team, but also the entire school and the community of Bloomington. When we have success on the field it brings attention to the entire community, not just our team.

I am proud to have the chance to represent Bloomington every time I lead my players in competition. I do not see why the school board would want to deny such a feeling and sense of pride to the community of Grand Terrace and especially to her children.

With all due respect to the Abril family, I cannot plausibly see how students are going to take pride in representing a school named after a board member.

But, if the board truly wants to serve the entire district, they will reconsider their decision and allow the children of this new school to represent their community, and will enable them to deepen their pride in themselves, thus strengthening the district as a whole.

MARC HOWARD
Grand Terrace