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.

A lot of kids dream of traveling to a European country. Colton High student Francina Grant did just that in 1983, right after her freshman year!

As a freshman, Francina joined the American Field Service. The AFS was founded by ambulance drivers who served during both World War I and World War II, with a mission to end international conflicts via cultural exchange. Francina was selected to stay in northern Germany, around 25 miles from the Danish border in a town called Milsted during the summer between her freshman and sophomore years.

She was able to experience many places and things that were new to her. During a two-day “crash course” in Frankfort, Germany, Francina learned German language and customs, which were a challenge since she had been enrolled in French here at Colton High. A German family hosted her during the week, and other families opened their homes for shorter stays on weekends.

In addition to her stay in Milsted, Francina also got to visit New York. “I was really excited about it,” she told the Pepper Bough’s Valerie Harris.