Colton Community Members Plan a Day of Service in Honor of Dr. Tom Rivera’s Birthday

The Colton Community will mark the first “Dr. Tom’s Day of Community Service” on Friday, Sept. 22 by uniting around a volunteer service project at Colton High School. 

Dr. Tom’s Day will mark Dr. Tom Rivera’s birthday each year with a community service project throughout the City of Colton, drawing volunteers from Colton High School students, the Inland Empire Future Leaders Program (IEFLP), Kiwanis, Colton Area Museum, San Bernardino Valley College and CSUSB alumni and the community at large. The project this year will include painting of the awning and poles over the senior benches and picking up trash throughout Colton High School’s campus. 

Dr. Tom’s widow expressed gratitude for the Inland Empire Future Leaders for spearheading the project, saying that he would have been delighted at being remembered through acts of community service. 

“Tom would be beyond proud about this project. It fully captures his belief in having people come together for the common good,” Dr. Lilly Rivera said. “And Colton High School was very dear to his heart.”

“Dr. Tom” was raised in Colton and attended Colton schools, Valley College, California State University Los Angeles, University of California Riverside, and UCLA, where he received his doctorate in education. He enhanced student lives by his 49 years in education, including U. S. Peace Corps Service, teaching elementary school, serving as a counselor at San Bernardino Valley College, and serving as an administrator for 40 years at California State University, San Bernardino.

His commitment to social justice, education, and pride in heritage led him to co-found the IEFLP, League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) chapter, and serve as co-researcher on the South Colton Oral History Project. His leadership opened doors for the Tzu Chi and Pure Land foundations to establish food banks and health clinics in our area. 

The Colton Joint Unified School District Board of Education dedicated the high school’s new MPR to Dr. Tom after his death last year.

“We are honored to participate in this tribute to a man who gave so much to our community, our youth and to the educational community of our region,” CJUSD Superintendent Frank Miranda said. “His memory will always evoke gratitude and respect for his work and legacy.”

To get involved in this project, contact Lori Sanchez (Colton Library History Project) at (909) 645-1583 or lori-sanchez@sbcglobal.net and/or Judith Segura-Mora (IEFLP) at (626) 862-1849 or jseguramora@iefl.org.