School-Wide Quilt Tells the Story of CJUSD Schools, Now Calls Colton Area Museum Home by Breeanna Jent - City News Group, Inc.
View Upcoming Events View Your Local Sales

Community Calendar

◄ NOVEMBER ►
S M T W T F S
01 02 03 04 05 06 07
08 09 10 11 12 13 14
15 16 17 18 19 20 21
22 23 24 25 26 27 28
29 30 01 02 03 04 05
View Events
Submit Events

School-Wide Quilt Tells the Story of CJUSD Schools, Now Calls Colton Area Museum Home

By Breeanna Jent, Staff Writer
January 9, 2014 at 08:53am. Views: 122

A handmade quilt featuring the artwork of several Colton Joint Unified School District (CJUSD) employees and students, now calls the Colton Area Museum home. Over the holiday break, the museum welcomed the addition of the historic CJUSD school-wide quilt. Previously, the quilt was on display at the school district board room since its completion in 2006. Due to limited space in the new board room, the museum was asked to display the quilt indefinitely, on an on-loan basis, museum officials said. The quilt was headed by Cyndie Marksbury and Barbara Rojas, both school district employees who have worked for the district for 25 years. The women's children have all gone through Colton schools. "We talked about it one day and thought it would be cool (to have a quilt for the district)," said Rojas. "We both quilt and have for many years and we thought it would be something nice the district could have." "You know when you just do something because it seems like the right reason? That really was it," said Marksbury. "That really was it and it just kind of came together. We thought it would be nice to do for the district, especially with the fact that each school got to [share] their own vision of their school." The 7-foot tall, 9-foot wide quilt is comprised of 35 custom-made squares, representing each of the district's schools and major departments. It is encased in a hardwood cabinet now on display in the museum's lower level. "We took 12-inch squares of muslin and sent one to each school and major departments and had them do their own artwork to represent their department or school. I mean, the artwork is really beautiful," Rojas said. Colton Area Museum Board Member Dr. Luis “Dr. G” Gonzalez, coordinated the transfer of the quilt to the museum from the school district board room in December. Gonzalez said, “This is a terrific addition to our collection, which anyone who attended one of the Colton schools will enjoy.” Rojas said of the quilt’s new home, “It’s a coming together of all the schools and CJUSD departments. It was a fun project and we really enjoyed working on it. It’s great because it also represents the city of Colton and it also incorporates the cities of Grand Terrace and Bloomington, since we do have schools there, as well.” "The Colton Joint Unified School District quilt is a concrete example for children of how they 'belong' to the city/community," said the district's newest board member, Joanne Thoring-Ojeda. "Residents of a community are part of its present and, in time, its history. This quilt is a novel approach to keeping this message alive and reminding students, young and old, that their experiences within the district are part of the history of the Colton community. Safeguarding it as an historical artifact at the Colton Museum is a statement of the important role schools have on individuals within our community. Schools help shape the culture of communities." The quilt is available for viewing during regular museum hours, Wednesdays and Fridays 1 to 4 p.m. and Saturdays 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Related Articles

Photo Courtesy of: TME Photography by Titan Mom Elvira

By Titan Mom Elvira, Community Writer

November 3, 2026 at 03:26pm. Views: 213

Athlete of the Week Christopher Michael Lemos, Redlands High School Junior and Varsity Quarterback, proudly represents the Terriers with his dedication, leadership, and passion for the game.

Photo Courtesy of: City News Group

By Ruby Stephenson, Community Writer

November 3, 2026 at 03:26pm. Views: 221

Redlands Pottery Project joins A.K. Smiley Public Library for a November 14 workshop designed for young artists ages 13 to 18. A lump of clay may not look like much at first. In the hands of a young artist, however, it can become a bowl, a decorative sculpture or an entirely unexpected creation.

Photo Courtesy of: https://www.redlands.edu/

By William Cortez, Community Writer

November 3, 2026 at 03:26pm. Views: 208

The University of Redlands Department of Theatre and Dance will present Día de los Muertos and Other Folk Tales November 5 through 8, 2026. Stories told by grandparents often become treasured parts of a family's history. Some are humorous, others mysterious, and many carry lessons that remain meaningful long after the storyteller is gone.

Photo Courtesy of: UC San Diego's ALERTCalifornia

By Ruby Stephenson, Community Writer

November 3, 2026 at 03:26pm. Views: 229

A remote wildfire-monitoring camera overlooks a Southern California landscape. Redlands has partnered with UC San Diego's ALERTCalifornia program to improve monitoring of areas near northern Redlands and the Santa Ana River wash.

Photo Courtesy of: https://www.akspl.org/events/

By William Cortez, Community Writer

November 3, 2026 at 03:26pm. Views: 223

Annual ceremony at the Lincoln Memorial Shrine will bring American history to life on November 21. On a November morning in Redlands, the sounds of fifes, drums and historic artillery will offer residents an opportunity to experience a chapter of American history that continues to influence the nation more than 160 years after the Civil War.

Photo Courtesy of: City News Group

By Stella Pierce, Community Writer

November 3, 2026 at 03:18pm. Views: 228

The first years of a child's life are filled with milestones that families often remember forever. A baby's first smile, the first attempt to crawl and the first spoken words are moments of celebration. They can also bring questions, uncertainty and new responsibilities for parents learning how to care for a growing child.

Photo Courtesy of: https://www.csusb.edu/

By Ruby Stephenson, Community Writer

November 3, 2026 at 03:06pm. Views: 262

CSUSB’s Department of Physics and Astronomy has earned recognition for it for its work to create a more inclusive, diverse and supportive physics department, earning the Bronze Award from the American Association for the Advancement of Science Physics & Astronomy SEA Change program.

Photo Courtesy of: https://www.naco.org/program/operation-green-light-veterans

By William Cortez, Community Writer

November 3, 2026 at 03:06pm. Views: 248

Operation Green Light returns November 4–11, encouraging residents to recognize military service and help veterans connect with available resources. As darkness settles over San Bernardino during the first week of November, green lights will illuminate several county buildings, transforming familiar government facilities into visible reminders of the sacrifices made by America's military veterans.

Photo Courtesy of: https://www.authentikusa.com/

By Amanda Spencer, Community Writer

November 3, 2026 at 03:06pm. Views: 237

As America's most famous highway celebrates its centennial in 2026, San Bernardino reflects on the road that helped shape its neighborhoods, businesses and identity. Long before interstate highways became the preferred routes for cross-country travel, motorists making their way through San Bernardino followed a road that would become one of the most recognizable highways in American history.

Photo Courtesy of: Corina Borsuk and provided courtesy of SBCUSD

By Amanda Spencer, Community Writer

November 3, 2026 at 03:06pm. Views: 184

Muscoy Elementary students join SBCUSD Superintendent Mauricio Arellano, Board of Education President Mayra Ceballos, Assistant Superintendents Dr. Sandra Rodriguez and Dr. Tasha Doizan, Director MaryRone Goodwin and San Bernardino County Supervisor Joe Baca Jr. for the official ribbon cutting ceremony that opened the school’s new outdoor learning center.

Photo Courtesy of: https://riversiderecord.org/; A photo of Moreno Valley City Hall. (Alicia Ramirez/The Riverside Record) Credit: (Photo by Alicia

By Ruby Stephenson, Community Writer

October 27, 2026 at 02:39pm. Views: 578

A city is often judged by what residents experience every day: the condition of its streets, the reliability of public services, the availability of recreational programs and the ease of obtaining information from local government. Behind those everyday experiences are departments and employees whose work rarely attracts national attention.

Photo Courtesy of: TME Photography by Titan Mom Elvira

By Titan Mom Elvira, Community Writer

October 27, 2026 at 02:39pm. Views: 543

Athlete of the Week Zachary Scott Perez, Senior at John W. North High School, is recognized as Athlete of the Week for his dedication and accomplishments as a student athlete.

--> -->