Acosta Speaks at Meeting

City of Colton educator Frank Acosta spoke at the Colton Area Museum and Historical Society’s monthly meeting earlier this month on May 9, speaking on the history of Colton Junior High School (CJHS) (now Colton Middle School [CMS]), where he worked for 39 years until his retirement in 2010. Acosta was born in Mexico and raised in City Terrace, an East Los Angeles neighborhood. After graduating from high school, he enrolled at the University of California, Riverside (UCR) where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in 1968 in Spanish Literature with a minor in French Literature. He holds a lifetime Standard California Teaching Credential. Acosta started working for the Colton Joint Unified School District in 1969 as a teacher at Terrace Hills School. After two years there, he transferred to Colton Junior High School. While at CJHS/CMS, he taught Spanish, French, photography, English, Chicano studies, mathematics, computer science, and 8th grade science. He also sponsored the CJHS yearbook from 1976 to 1979. In 1979 he started a DJ club that provided music for school dances and other activities. From 2002 to his retirement, Acosta was sponsor of the CJHS Chapter of the National Junior Honor Society. Acosta served at various times on CJHS/CMS and CJUSD committees, and as a site representative for the Association of Colton Educators. For several years, Acosta was a District Teacher Mentor in the area of technology and computers. After his retirement, the Board of Education of the Colton Joint Unified School District renamed the CMS auditorium/cafeteria “The Frank Acosta Multipurpose Room” in recognition of his service to the school and community. The public speaking event is a regular part of the Colton Area Museum and Historical Society’s meetings which feature speakers and historical Colton- or Inland Empire-related topics each month.