Colton High School opened in 1895. It is one of the oldest high schools in the Inland Empire. In this daily feature, we celebrate Colton High’s rich history.

Jesus Carreon worked as a guidance counselor at Colton High School from 1974-1987. He was a Colton man, born and bred.

Born in Colton in 1928, Carreon was a proud member of the Colton community. He played bells in the Marching Band, and involved with the Mexican Youth Club. In 1946, he graduated from Colton High.

After high school, Carreon joined the Navy, discovered an interest in psychology. Once he left the service, he attended the University of Redlands and earned his degree in Spanish, then he picked up credentials to teach K-12 and a counseling degree.

Carreon became an exemplary teacher, first working with adults in citizenship classes, then heading on out east to Kentucky on a grant from the National Science Foundation where he learned how to teach mathematics to teachers looking for professional development. He taught summers in Kentucky, Lake Charles Louisiana, and Illinois in the early 70s while working at Colton schools during the school year. After time teaching 6th graders at Alice Birney, then 7th graders at Colton Middle, Carreon focused on counseling at Colton High, where he stayed until retirement in 1988.

Retirement, however, was not the end of Carreon’s career. He stayed on at Colton, first as a substitute counselor before taking a position as a Spanish teacher at Bloomington High School. Carreon exemplifies what it means to be sold out to service.