Francisco Lemus cited one from author Dr. Seuss, “Sometimes you will never know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory.” Ronald Morillo, who is headed to UC, Berkeley to major in environmental studies, appropriately echoed the words of cultural and Tribal leader Dr. Harry Paul Cuero Jr. who said, “You can have all the money in the world and if everything goes wrong, what does that money buy you if you don’t know what plant to eat or what medicine to give.” Sophia Resvaloso shared a quote from singer Lana Del Rey, “I believe in the person I want to become.”

Principal Donovan Post welcomed everyone who came to support the students as they have done throughout their educational journeys. He was pleased to announce that this class of seniors has the highest college acceptance rate in Noli’s history, with six of them pursuing higher education at various colleges.

After a blessing by Damon Miranda Jr. who worked with students to help them facilitate Talking Circles organized by ASB members, several seniors joined guest birdsingers and dancers. Guest speaker Benjamin Pachito is a Soboba Tribal member who returned to his Tribe in 2021 to join the Soboba Legal Department. Three years later, he became the Tribal Attorney for Soboba and is now on the Board of Directors for the Soboba-owned Legacy Bank.

“None of these things happened without cost, of your time and sacrifices,” Pachito said. “Personal advancement is not a group project. Education does not always make your life easier, but it gives you invaluable skills and meaningful purpose. I encourage all of you to continue with your personal development. What matters is that you keep moving forward with intention.

“Every generation before you made sacrifices so you could be in this exact moment right now. Now it is your turn to decide what you will do for the next generation. Your journey starts now so learn, go train, go do all the things you have to do to be successful. But remember where you came from, remember that your Tribe needs you. Our Tribes advance when people return with their skills and continue personal development. Come back to your Tribes and contribute to something bigger than yourself,” Pachito said.

Valedictorian Shawna Rivera and Salutatorian Sophia Resvaloso are members of the Soboba Band of Luiseño Indians and have both been students at Noli since sixth grade. In their speeches, they expressed gratitude to family, friends, teachers, staff and fellow graduates.

“Our education can be used as a weapon against the very systems that have and are still hurting us. But we’ll stay resilient and have a chance to confront these systems by choosing to educate ourselves,” Resvaloso said. “Ultimately people can try and steal everything from us, but they can’t take the knowledge that we hold as a people.”

Rivera appreciated that the all-Native school has been a place where she could learn while being surrounded by people who understand Native American backgrounds and beliefs. “At Noli, I learned the importance of staying connected to my culture while working towards my future,” she said. “Here I have grown as both a student and a person thanks to my teachers and my mentors. To my fellow graduates, don’t forget the memories we have built together.”

Other members of the Noli Indian School Class of 2026 are Edgar Gladin, Oglala Sioux; Serena Hawk, Santa Ysabel; Selaya Helms, Soboba Band of Luiseño Indians; Francisco Lemus, Oglala Sioux; Ronald Morillo, Soboba Band of Luiseño Indians; and Leland Razon, Soboba Band of Luiseño Indians.

Earlier in the day, seniors were treated to a special luncheon that honored them for achievements and recognized those that have committed to colleges in the fall. Six of the seniors applied to 23 colleges and universities combined as some students applied to the same school. A total of 30 acceptance letters were received, allowing the students to decide which one to commit to. Two will be attending UC, Berkeley while others are headed to Humboldt State University, San Diego State University, California State University, San Bernardino, and Crafton Hills College.

A highlight was the presentation of the inaugural Noli Scholar Athlete Award in honor of the late Robert “Bobby” Salgado Sr. to Shawna Rivera for excellence in academics, leadership, and athletics. The annual scholarship will continue to recognize dedication, perseverance, and commitment to both education and athletic excellence. The award, which came with a $500 scholarship, was made possible by proceeds of the annual Native American Trail Running Organization (NATRO).

Several of Salgado’s family members, including his widow Claudia and daughter Baseemah Arlene, were at the event to congratulate Shawna and share a little bit about Bobby’s love and devotion to all things sports related. He coached many youth sports teams. Baseemah said, “Everything he did was for his people.” The family personally contributed an additional $3,300 to this year’s scholarship.

Science teacher Jay Dagostino presented four students with certificates of completion for the solar program that included classroom and off-site training and installation. They were Edgar Gladin, Serena Hawk, Francisco Lemus, and Ronald Morillo.

Edgar Gladin received Jonathan Ruiz’s Coaches Award for football while Ronald Morillo was named MVP for the football season and received a Coaches Award for basketball.

English and Culture teacher Emma Herrera presented a Native Excellence certificate to Leland Razon for outstanding writing, character and leadership. All teachers took part in voting for the awards for Outstanding Improvement, Leland Razon; Outstanding Leadership, Shawna Rivera; and for being an outstanding example of the school’s 3 Rs (respect, responsibility and reflection), Sophia Resvaloso.

Kekai Bryant presented a Math award to a student who has been in her classes all four years of high school and has continually excelled: Sophia Resvaloso.

As salutatorian, Sophia was presented with the “Shining Star” crystal award “in celebration of your exemplary performance.” Valedictorian Shawna Rivera received the “Above & Beyond” crystal award for her exceptional performance which read in part, “Your efforts have resulted in an impressive achievement.”

The Noli Booster Club presented each student with a money box and Principal Post concluded the catered luncheon by telling the seniors, “We need you to reach your goals and come back; you are our hopes for the future, we want you to return and be successful again. After I give you your diplomas tonight, you will officially become alumni of Noli Indian School.”

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Two years later, Giron, 41, says she has maintained her sobriety, rebuilt her relationship with her children and watched her two oldest children join her in taking classes at the college. She is expected to graduate this month with an associate degree in sociology and credits the tribal college with helping her reconnect with her family and her culture.

The college, founded in 2018, is gaining new attention as California lawmakers consider legislation aimed at strengthening tribal colleges’ place in the state’s higher education system. California is home to more Native residents than any other state, yet it has only one confirmed tribal college and limited ongoing state support for tribal higher education.

Two bills introduced this year would change that framework. Assembly Bill 1641 would add tribal colleges to the state Education Code’s definition of public higher education. Assembly Bill 1769 would establish a process to make units earned at accredited tribal colleges transferable to California community colleges and California State University campuses, while asking the University of California to do the same.

College leaders say the proposals, combined with the school’s recent accreditation, could help secure more stable funding and give Native students better access to culturally grounded education.

Celeste Townsend, president of California Indian Nations College, said Native students have too often been overlooked by traditional education systems. For students such as Giron, she said, tribal colleges provide academic pathways that also honor culture, language and community.

For Giron, that support made a difference in her recovery.

“When I started participating in the different workshops, and I started to really learn the culture it really helped me,” Giron said. “Understanding and also just participating in ceremony, sweat lodge and stuff like that … it helped really ground me and keep me on the road to recovery.”

Native students continue to graduate from college at lower rates than many other student groups nationwide. In California’s community college system, 58% of American Indian or Alaska Native students remain enrolled after their first year, compared with 68% of students overall. At California State University, the four-year graduation rate for American Indian or Alaska Native students is 29.1%, compared with 37.3% overall. At the University of California, the four-year graduation rate for American Indian students is 62.7%, compared with 74% for all students.

California Indian Nations College is located in Palm Desert, near the Coachella Valley. Until recently, it offered associate degrees through a partnership with College of the Desert, which meant its courses were fully transferable because degrees were issued by the community college.

That arrangement is changing. The tribal college has received an eight-year accreditation from the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges, allowing it to award associate degrees independently.

California has an Indigenous population of more than 700,000 people, the largest of any state. In addition to California Indian Nations College, the state lists California Tribal College in Sacramento and Kumeyaay Community College near El Cajon as tribal colleges. Officials from those two schools did not respond to multiple requests from the original reporting organization to confirm whether they remain in operation.

Shawn Ragan, executive vice chair of California Indian Nations College, said tribal colleges are part of a broader effort to return education to Native communities after generations of harm.

“Education has been used as a tool of colonialization,” Ragan said. “It’s been used to strip language, identity, culture, from Native Americans.”

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, California Indian Nations College has delivered its courses fully online. Even so, students regularly gather in person for cultural activities, including basket weaving, hikes, sweat lodge ceremonies and community events.

Giron now serves as the college’s student body vice president for academics and clubs, a new role created this year. The student government is also developing bylaws and working to establish a bank account.

Giron said she grew up disconnected from her mother’s side of the family, which has ties to the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians. After her younger brother began attending California Indian Nations College and recommended it, she decided to enroll.

One of the most meaningful moments came when she invited her four teenage children, from whom she was estranged, to join her on a college-sponsored hike. They accepted. As they walked through Palm Desert’s canyons, a cultural guide explained the medicinal and ancestral uses of plants native to the area. At a body of water, the guide sang bird songs and burned sage, Giron said.

“That was that first connection, again, with my kids,” she said. “We’re building a relationship. CINC is a huge part of that. It was that bridge between me and my family, and reuniting us.”

Giron said the college’s approach differs from her experiences in K-12 schools and at College of the Desert because of its emphasis on community. From the beginning, she said, she felt that administrators and instructors were personally invested in her success. Without that support, she said, she may have relapsed.

In some classes, tests and discussions use a “talking circle” model, allowing students to collaborate and speak with one another rather than work in isolation.

Giron chose sociology because she sees it as a path toward helping others. She is considering work as a counselor, social worker or therapist.

“That same system that was designed to oppress us, we’re now utilizing as a tool, to be resilient, come out on top, and just prosper,” she said. “I just feel so empowered by the idea of being a part of that.”

The college’s accreditation, granted Feb. 3, makes California Indian Nations College the only tribal college in the state accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges. Accreditation can help colleges qualify for federal grants and contracts, distribute federal financial aid and ease the transfer of credits.

The school does not yet have a steady funding source. It opened with $9 million in seed funding from the Twenty-Nine Palms Band of Mission Indians, a federally recognized tribe that also pays tuition costs for all students. Three years ago, the state provided the college with $5 million in one-time funding. In 2025, the state added $10 million. This year, the college is seeking $13.5 million from the state.

Townsend said accreditation gives students confidence that their degrees will be recognized by other institutions while still reflecting a culturally specific education.

“We’re showing students that through education, the value of a degree can carry a lot of weight,” Townsend said. “We’re giving them that empowerment, and we’re proud to do it and open the door and encourage them to go further.”

Since opening in 2018, the college has served 517 students. Three-quarters of them are first-generation college students. In 2024, 59% of graduates transferred to another college or university, an increase of nearly 30% from the prior academic year.

During the 2024-25 academic year, 25 students earned associate degrees from the tribal college. Townsend expects 33 students to graduate this spring.

“This strengthens academic pathways as well as honoring our commitment to our people, to educate … and empower them, bringing that community reciprocity,” Townsend said.

Student body president Erica Muñoz, 22, of Banning, said she traveled to Sacramento last year to speak with lawmakers about Cal Grant support for students at California Indian Nations College. Muñoz, who grew up in San Bernardino, said she was proud to advocate for herself and her school.

In high school, Muñoz said, she did not feel strongly supported by teachers or counselors. She said she felt at risk of becoming another Native student who fell behind. That changed when she enrolled at the tribal college, becoming the first person in her family to attend college.

“This school is not just an institution, it’s a community, it’s a family,” Muñoz said. “There’s going to be more opportunities for students, more career pathways to open up. This is giving us the structure and stability that we’ve always wanted.”

Under current state law, public higher education is defined as the California Community Colleges, California State University and University of California systems. AB 1641 would add tribal colleges and universities to that definition.

Ragan said the change would formally acknowledge tribal colleges as part of California’s higher education landscape.

“The Native community has been invisible throughout the nation and also in California,” Ragan said. “We’re not part of the framework for how California thinks about higher education.”

Assemblymember James Ramos, a Democrat whose district includes parts of San Bernardino County, is a co-sponsor of AB 1641. Ramos became the first Native American elected to the state Assembly in 2018.

Ramos said the bill is about ensuring tribal colleges are recognized by the state and able to help close long-standing education gaps.

“The tribal community continues to suffer at a rate higher than other groups that are out there with high school attainment, college attainment and education attainment,” Ramos said. “Tribal colleges are a way for tribes to start to fill in that gap of making sure that people do pursue higher education.”

Ramos also authored AB 1769, introduced Feb. 23. That bill would require the Cal State Board of Trustees and the California Community Colleges Board of Governors to create and implement transfer agreements for accredited tribal colleges. It would also ask the UC Regents to establish a similar process.

Ragan said the bills have already helped bring tribal colleges into discussions about the future of higher education in California.

“It opened doors for us to be part of the conversations,” Ragan said. “As California is doing its master planning, or any kind of higher education planning, that tribal colleges are included in that conversation. This is a first step towards eventually becoming a regular line item in the state budget, but there’s still a lot between here and there.”

Original source: CalMatters

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