Dads are honored at Soboba Tribal Preschool

Soboba Band of Luiseño Indians — Sat, 31 May 2025 17:30:00 +0000

With the school year coming to a close on May 30, staff at Soboba Tribal Preschool seized the opportunity to invite their students’ fathers to an early Father’s Day celebration on May 23. Although summer school will be in session in June, kindergarten students will have graduated on June 2.

Mark Valdez has three times the fun at the Soboba Tribal Preschool early Father’s Day event. He celebrated with his kindergartner Tavish, preschooler Willow and Nu$uun who is in Pre-K.

Glenn Lindsey enjoys an early Father’s Day event with his pre-kindergartner Paxaa.

Preschool Administrator Lenora “Ponie” Mojado said the school has always hosted a Mother’s Day celebration but because Father’s Day arrives in the summer, this year on June 15, students who have been there all year didn’t get an opportunity to share a special event with their dads, which they feel is important.

Soboba Tribal Preschool Administrator Lenora “Ponie” Mojado introduces the preschool class to sing a song for their fathers in the Luiseño language.

Charles Resvaloso and his and kindergarten student Paa’akal share a special moment at the early Father’s Day celebration.

Father and son, both named Anthony Ortega, get into a painting craft at the Father’s Day celebration, May 23.

An outer space theme titled “Dad is out of this world” was spread throughout the multipurpose room that is adjacent to the preschool. A huge, balloon-trimmed screen that said, “I love you to the moon and back” was used for photos and a backdrop for the children to perform a song in Luiseño for their fathers and other invited father figures in their lives.

Kindergartner Emilia Chapparosa shares the gifts she made with her dad, Jarrod Chapparosa.

Wall decorations consisted of class projects with input from each student. One had mini rocket ships that each student colored, another had a large flying saucer with individual smaller ones surrounding it that were colored by each student and a giant spaceship filled with self-portrait astronauts included all the kindergarten kids.

The Pre-kindergarten class sings a song in Luiseño that they learned especially to share with their fathers, May 23.

Preschooler Kavikvish Medina with dad Junior Medina at the Father’s Day celebration.

The Kindergarten class, set to graduate June 2, are excited to sing the song they learned in the Luiseño language.

The children made lots of handmade keepsake gifts. Preschoolers completed a questionnaire about their fathers with comments like: My dad loves to “sing.” Answers to finish the sentence Most of all I love my dad, included “he’s the bestest” and “he makes me happy.” Khloe Razon said, He is so strong “he can pick up heavy stuff and me.” She also said her favorite thing to do with her dad Leland is “play hide and seek.”

Lewis Cervantes helps his pre-K daughter Delilah with a painting project they did together at the Soboba Tribal Preschool, May 23.

Damian Mariscal with preschooler Paa’at get ready to paint their astronaut and rocket ship activity offered at the early Father’s Day celebration.

Kindergartners made and colored a cardboard toolbox with pictures of wrenches, saws, hammers and more on which they also completed sentences. Palkí Herrera said “working” when describing what her dad Gabe Herrera is really good at doing. She also completed the sentence: Thank you for “taking care of me.”

Keith Escalante with his grandson Keyler, a pre-k student at the Soboba Tribal Preschool.

The toolbox contained more gifts. One was a laminated strip of three photos of their child holding the letter I, a heart and the letter U. Another was a small handmade pottery dish they painted, along with a few other special items.

The kindergarten class created self-portraits of themselves as astronauts, blasting off to wish their dads a Happy Father’s Day.

Fathers also got to enjoy creating a keepsake with their children as each was given a small plaster cast of a planet, a rocket, or an astronaut they could paint in a variety of colors.

All guests were treated to a buffet of nachos or tacos with their choice of toppings, cups of cool watermelon cubes and mini churros.

Guests to the Soboba Tribal Preschool on May 23 were greeted with a message that shared the outer space theme of the event.

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Dads are honored at Soboba Tribal Preschool