Family members, friends, faculty, and staff gathered to honor the graduates and celebrate an important milestone in their educational journeys. The annual ceremony recognizes the accomplishments of students and the support systems that help them succeed, including families, educators, and the broader community.

The Child Development & Education Center serves as both a high-quality early childhood education program and a laboratory school supporting MSJC’s Teacher Education and Developmental Studies (TEDS) program. Through observation, mentorship, and hands-on learning opportunities, the Center helps prepare future educators while providing exceptional care and education for local children.

The Center offers full-day toddler and preschool programs for children ages 18 months to 5 years in a nurturing environment built around play-based learning, creativity, exploration, and hands-on discovery. Educators focus on supporting each child’s unique interests, strengths, and emerging abilities while fostering social-emotional development, communication skills, confidence, and a lifelong love of learning.

This year’s graduation ceremony included translation services to help ensure that all families could fully participate in the celebration, reflecting the Center’s commitment to accessibility, inclusion, and family engagement.

“Watching our students cross the stage and celebrate their achievements with family and friends is one of the most rewarding moments of the year,” said Kendra Woodcock, Director of the Child Development & Education Center. “We were especially proud to offer translation services during the ceremony, helping ensure that every family could fully participate in this important milestone. Our goal is to create an inclusive environment where all students and their loved ones feel welcomed, connected, and celebrated. Seeing our graduates reach this accomplishment reminds us of the incredible opportunities that education can create and the bright futures that lie ahead for each of them.”

The Center’s staff recognizes the trust parents place in the program each day and remains committed to providing a safe, nurturing, and enriching educational experience for every child. Early childhood education plays a critical role in laying the foundation for future learning, behavior, and overall well-being, and the CDEC strives to create an environment where children can thrive academically, socially, and emotionally.

For the graduates, the ceremony represented more than the completion of a program—it marked the beginning of new opportunities. Their hard work, perseverance, and commitment have prepared them to pursue future educational goals, meaningful careers, and personal aspirations with confidence.

The graduates demonstrated remarkable determination throughout their educational journey. Their success reflects not only their resilience and dedication but also the encouragement of their families and the support of the faculty and staff who guided them every step of the way.

As MSJC concludes its 2026 graduation season, the Child Development & Education Center ceremony serves as a reminder that educational success begins early and that every milestone deserves celebration.

The Child Development & Education Center currently has 15 openings available in its preschool program for the 2026-27 academic year. Families interested in learning more about the program, scheduling a visit, or enrolling a child are encouraged to contact Director Kendra Woodcock at kwoodcock@msjc.edu. Space is limited.

About Mt. San Jacinto College 

Mt. San Jacinto College (MSJC) is a comprehensive community college serving a diverse student population of approximately 30,000 annually across a 1,700-square-mile area. With campuses in San Jacinto, Menifee Valley, Temecula Valley, and San Gorgonio Pass, MSJC provides accessible, equitable, and innovative educational programs. The college offers a wide range of courses and programs designed to meet the transfer requirements of four-year colleges and universities, supporting students in achieving their academic and career goals. 

The post Mt. San Jacinto College Child Development & Education Center Celebrates 2026 Graduates appeared first on The Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle.

Mothers and other female relatives were treated to finger sandwiches and sweet pastries to go with their iced tea. They joined their children in decorating pretty hats, using a paper plate as the base with colorful markers, ribbons and sequins added as desired. They also used a fabric flower making machine to craft the perfect blend of their favorite petal colors and lots of leaves for a keepsake flower.

One wall poster created by the preschool class had students answer what they love most about their moms. Orion MacDonald said, “I love my mom because she plays with me and reads books to me.” Daiya Muhammad said, “I love that my mom is beautiful and she loves me.” Another poster was titled “Mommy’s favorite cup of tea” and featured photos of the children on the teacups.

Pre-K students were asked to complete the sentence “I love my mom because…” The poster featured a huge heart in the center decorated with pink handprints of each student. Paulina Aguirre said she loves her mom because she is always happy, Mavii Ortega said it’s because she’s nice, and Neqpikat Arroyo-Modesto said it is because, “I’m growing up.”

Kindergartners got to design and color teacups that were attached to a poster letting their mothers know they are one “tea-rific” mom. There were handmade projects the children did in their classrooms put into gift bags for their mothers to enjoy.

Fathers and father figures got their special day two weeks later seated at long tables covered with red checkered tablecloths. Some of their gifts were in bags designed to look like traditional ribbon shirts. Others had grill master apron shaped cards attached. Gifts included a can coozie and a cutting board, both decorated with their child’s handprints on them. A fun craft they got to do together was to design a Shrinky Dink keychain.

Posters around the multipurpose room walls showed expressions of love from the children for the men in their lives. Pre-K students were asked to complete the sentence “I grill-y love my dad because…” and the heartfelt answers were written in the “smoke” that came from the grill. Ellie Calderon said, “He always lets me help him” and Natalia Girard said, “He goes to work.” When students in the preschool class were asked what they loved about their dads, ‘Eshash Shuullaw said, “I love my dad because he calls me pretty all the time, every day” and Talla Grant said, “I love my dad because he’s so special and he always helps me get ready for somebody’s practice.”

Kindergarten students got to share their favorite thing about their fathers, and their comments were very sincere. Marcie Brane likes that her dad is strong and helps her, Kut Vega-Castello said he likes that his dad helps him learn new things, and Nu$uun Valdez said, “My favorite thing is he makes me cereal.” The youngsters also got to assemble construction paper hamburgers and hot dogs that were displayed around a colorful poster that claimed, “You are a grill-y awesome dad.”

The lunch featured grilled chicken, ribs, and hot dogs with sides of corn on the cob, baked beans and potato chips, all followed by a sundae bar. Many of the men were happy to share that they love to barbecue at home. So kudos went to the kitchen staff who prepared the food that met with the approval of the experienced guests.

Keith Escalante said grilling is something he enjoys doing. “You can’t just put the meat on the heat and expect it to turn out good; there’s an art to it,” he said. He was enjoying hanging out with his grandson, kindergartner Kyler Escalante. “We’re having a good time.”

Junior Medina’s five-year-old son Kavikvish is in the Pre-K class and he thought the event was very nice. “I like spending time with my son and talking with everyone else,” he said. “It’s nice to see the kids with all their friends.”

Both events featured performances by the kids who learned special songs about how much they loved their moms and dads. There were also raffles for lucky ticket holders and coloring pages for the families to enjoy together.

For more information on the preschool, please visit https://preschool.soboba-nsn.gov.

The post Children celebrate parents at Soboba appeared first on The Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle.

Despite undergoing some personnel changes throughout the school year, students emerged with all the knowledge they need to be successful in first grade. Preschool Director Lenora “Ponie” Mojado welcomed everyone to the event that celebrated the accomplishments of the young boys and girls.  As they entered the gymnasium in their red caps and gowns to the playing of “Pomp and Circumstance” cell phones came out to capture all the activity.

After a blessing by Soboba’s Rosemary Morillo, the Intertribal Bird Singers and Bird Dancers invited the students to join them in front of the stage. Several community members worked with the students throughout the year to share these cultural experiences. Wayne Nelson, Benny Helms, Jonathan Saucedo, and Deven Lopez guided the boys in making their own gourd rattles. $ovóova Po’$wáamay (Daughter of Soboba) Su’la Arviso and So’a Nelson helped teach the girls how to dance. Students from the Soboba Reservation’s Noli Indian School also worked with the girls to design their own bird skirts that were delivered to the school after they were completed.

“We would like to honor Wayne Nelson and our Intertribal men for the amazing work they have done with our kindergarten gourds. Without these men, none of this would have been possible. Their dedication, heart, and cultural leadership mean so much to our students and to our program,” Mojado said. “We also want to honor the incredible women who stand strong in our community: So’a Nelson and Su’la Arviso. Their support, guidance, and cultural presence uplift our students and help keep our traditions alive showing the preschoolers how to dance. We are truly blessed to have all of them as part of the Soboba Tribal Preschool. Their time, teachings, and love for our children remind us how strong our community is when we come together. Their work deserves to be recognized, honored, and celebrated.”

Mojado reminded everyone that these young children will be high school seniors with the Class of 2039. And that these were the “COVID” babies. “What an incredible journey it has been,” she said. “This year flew by, and these little learners have grown in ways that continue to amaze me. I remember so many of them as tiny preschoolers—learning our classroom rules, practicing how to share, and coming in as caterpillars and leaving as butterflies. And now, here they are, ready to spread their wings and fly off to the big school for first grade.”

Proud parents and others were treated to a performance by the kids after they took the stage and sang along to “Count On Me” by Bruno Mars.

When teacher Alaina Adkins went out on maternity leave in early April, Mojado took over the class for a few weeks, and it was her favorite part of the year.

“I felt a genuine connection with them, and they truly inspired me,” she said. Many of them had been in her preschool class, which she taught before moving into administration at the preschool. “Seeing how much they’ve grown reminded me why I love being a teacher. Their happiness, their funny comments, and their silly faces brightened my days. Each of these children brought something special to our classroom. Every memory, every laugh, every challenge, every hug—these moments made this year unforgettable. These kiddos… they hold a very dear place in my heart. I have a story for every single one of them. They are the reason I truly became a preschool teacher, and I am so grateful they were my first class. One of this year’s highlights for me was helping the students fill their marble jar and watching their excitement when they earned their glow‑in‑the‑dark pizza party. They had the time of their lives. Even the pizza delivery driver commented on how fun it looked and said he never experienced anything like that when he was in kindergarten. I’m truly going to miss them. We built a strong connection from the very beginning and seeing how far they’ve come has meant a lot to me.”

Mojado said there had been many changes this year, but all were for the better. To the youngsters, she said, “I wish you nothing but great opportunities and a future filled with joy. And please remember this, my friends: Ms. Ponie will always be here for you. This isn’t goodbye, this is ‘see you later.’ I’ll see you at Fiesta, events, ball games, and around the Rez. You can be anything you want to be—reach for the stars. Your little steps will lead you to big journeys—and today, you have taken a beautiful step toward a bold, bright future.”

Betsy Post, who has been teaching the class for the past few weeks, and Instructional Aide Jasmine Basquez presented each student with their diploma along with a certificate that highlighted the special quality they exhibited in the classroom.

Members of the Class of 2026 and their awards are Creative Genius Charlie Ambriz, Future Teacher Marcie Brane, Resident Artist Moyla Castello, Leadership Legend Delilah Cervantes, Team Player Kyler Escalante, Positivity Powerhouse Exval Garcia, Ray of Sunshine Nadia Herrera, Class Comedian Paxaa Lindsey, Growth Mindset Champion Nokaamay Mathews-Garcia, Determined Dreamer Malakai Masiel, True Friend Kwiinamush Maxcy, Puzzle Pro Joseph Munoz, Musical Talent Ivan Musick (who willingly showed off his amazing imitation of Michael Jackson’s dance moves), Participation Pro Love Salgado-Flores, Helper Hero Nu$uun Valdez, Writing Wonder Selene Valenzuela, Best Listener Mav Vega, Inquisitive Thinker Kut Vega-Castello, Kindness Champion Paa’kal Vega-Castello, and Inspiring Leader Sonny Yazzie.

The sports complex walls were decorated with colorful hot air balloon cutouts under the title, “Oh, the Places You’ll Go!” and self-portraits in a mortarboard with a description of what the little ones want to be when they grow up. Not surprisingly, choices include doctors, teachers, veterinarians, and firefighters. However, there were also students aspiring to be a Jabbawockeez (hip-hop dance crew member), a Ninja, or a YouTuber.

For more information on enrollment, please visit https://preschool.soboba-nsn.gov.

The post Kindergartners graduate from Soboba Tribal Preschool appeared first on The Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle.

The Soboba Sports Complex gymnasium was filled with excitement as anxious family members waited for kindergarten students from the Soboba Tribal Preschool to enter the room on June 5. Before that moment arrived, a slideshow featuring all 21 youngsters in their caps and gowns followed by group photos of them in classroom activities was punctuated by cheers and applause.

After the children were seated on the stage, teacher Laura Aldrete welcomed families and friends to the Kindergarten Class of 2023 celebration. “First, we would like to thank Tribal Council for helping and supporting our Kindergarten. Thank you to all of our families for their love, support and encouragement,” she said. “We would like to thank the staff and the teachers. This year has been one to remember but we made it!”

Even though Aldrete and teacher’s aide Mayra Barrientos were only with the class for the past couple of months, due to personnel changes, they said it was a privilege to have worked with such an amazing group of kindergartners.

“Ms. Mayra and I wish the kindergarten class all the best in their new journey and what awaits them,” Aldrete said. “We know you will achieve great things because we know you can.”

Students who successfully completed kindergarten and are headed off to first grade in the fall are Penelope Alcala, Aaron Arenas, Joseph Bentiste, Xwáyish Briones, Demi Cervantes, Jena Davis, Freddie Duran, Koba Lindsey-Gallardo, Manalice Garcia, Zeppelin Godinez, Liam Grant, Charlie Mae Hunter, Nikolas Lara, Luciano Marquez, Hailey Medina, Mila Nunez, Notóomo Salgado, Samuel Shaheen, Journey Silvas, Kenai Silvas and River Valenzuella.

Preschool Director Donovan Post welcomed everyone to the ceremony. He thanked families for choosing to enroll their children at the school and for supporting them and the school throughout the year and thanked staff for all their efforts. “Our number one goal was to be here for these kids day in and day out,” he said. “I’d also like to thank Sierra Vivanco who was our kindergarten teacher at the start of the year. She worked with us for a few years, and she did an amazing job. We appreciate all the efforts that she gave to us during the time she was with us this year. Ms. Laura and Ms. Mayra are an amazing team that have stepped up and taken over so now we have a great foundation for how everything can be better in the future.”

Wayne Nelson provided a blessing and with the Intertribal Bird Singers invited the children to join in during two social songs. Young boys played gourd rattles they had made earlier in the school year and many of the young girls were wearing bird skirts under their graduation gowns that Noli Indian School students had helped them create.

The class performed a song about how they had learned to read, write, listen, tie their shoes and be kind to friends this past year. Then each student was called to the front of the stage to receive their diploma and a personalized certificate to showcase what made them shine. Their favorite memories and future plans were also shared. Some aspire to be superheroes and others are looking to become firefighters or police officers.

Not surprisingly, most students cited playing with friends outdoors or in the classroom as their favorite memory about school. Some said they enjoyed the bus rides they took to the Soboba Sports Complex for special events throughout the school year and several others said doing their homework was their favorite part of school.

Graduates and their individual accolades are Penelope, Rockstar Reader; Aaron, All-Star Athlete; Joseph, Master Mathematician; Xwáyish, Perfect Penmanship; Demi, Fabulous Friend; Jena, Future Teacher; Freddie, Loyal Listener; Koba, Thoughtful Thinker; Manalice, Delightful Dancer; Zeppelin, Spectacular Scissor Skills; Liam, Handy Helper; Charlie Mae, Stellar Smile; Nikolas, Incredible Illustrator; Luciano, Splendid Storyteller; Hailey, Numbers Ninja; Mila, Alphabet Ninja; Notóomo, Outstanding Observer; Samuel, Technology Wiz; Journey, Happy Heart Hero; Kenai, Enthusiastic Explorer; and River, Incredible Imagination.

Gloria Vivanco had a front-row seat to watch her great-grandson Aaron Arenas graduate from kindergarten. With two children and seven grandchildren, Vivanco said Aaron is the oldest of her 11 great grandchildren, with three more babies expected soon.

Soboba Elder Alice Helms proudly watched her great-great-granddaughter Manalice Garcia receive her diploma and be laden with balloons and plush toys by many family members after the ceremony.

Soboba Tribal Preschool Office Manager Amber Lopez said if she had one word to use to describe this year’s class, it would be perseverance. “They had a lot of changes this year and still came out on top. I am very proud of them for all their hard work and focus,” she said. “I will miss my morning chats with them as I walked them down the hall to their classrooms; it was one of the many highlights of my day. I wish them all the happiness and success for their future.”

Find your latest news here at the Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle

The post Soboba Tribal Preschool kindergartners are promoted appeared first on The Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle.

Preschool director Dianne King said she had the vision for a tree mural and was researching a large decal to apply to the wall when other staff members told her that Mojado was a great artist.

“I approached her with the idea, and she ran with it,” King said. “She did an amazing job with great detail. It was definitely something that she put her heart into. The tree is also a symbol of her growth from a preschool student herself, to a parent of preschoolers and now to employment and continuing her education. Lenora is a true example of strength and knowledge, just like our tree.”

Mojado put down roots at the preschool when she began working there as a Tribal intern in 2017 and was hired as a permanent Instructional Aide in October of 2018. She currently works with the two-year-olds’ class. She is pursuing her associate degree in Child Development and Education from Mt. San Jacinto College and plans to continue to work at the preschool in a teaching capacity.

“Children are the future of this tribe and I want to help make their strong foundation,” she said. “Children have minds of their own and I love that about them.”

Mojado said she didn’t even realize she had artistic talent until she opted to draw the Cat in the Hat and Horton the Elephant on her classroom’s door for Dr. Seuss week in March. She was able to freehand the characters just by looking at their images, which is what she did with the tree mural.

“It was my first time drawing and it looked exactly like them,” she said. “In addition, putting together art projects for lesson plans and bulletin boards as well as the door made my art talent come out.”

Mojado attended the Soboba Band of Luiseño Indians reservation’s Ahmium preschool for two years when she was young. Her six-year-old son, Mac, graduated from the current tribal preschool’s kindergarten class in June and her son Eli is a student in the Pre-K class this year.

“When I went to Ahmium, it helped me develop some communication skills and helped me realize that there’s different races out there other than Natives,” she said. “It taught me different aspects of life because when I went to school I went to school with cousins, and people that worked there were family.”

She said that the current preschool has offered her sons a safe environment in which to learn and she felt comfortable with the people she knew that already worked there. Mojado said working there while her children attend is an added bonus.

The tree, which Mojado started in August and completed last month, is already serving a great purpose and strong lesson of literacy and culture by featuring books about Native Americans. On August 3, 1990, President George H. W. Bush declared the month of November as National American Indian Heritage Month, thereafter, commonly referred to as Native American Heritage Month.

The preschool recently received books from the Tribal Child Care Association of CA, who partnered with Lakeshore to provide several activities for the children including Native literacy.

“We received six curriculum kits with various Native American materials,” King said. “Each kit had a couple of books in them along with many other Native American toys. We will keep the Native books for the teachers to read in class. However, we have a lending library in the lobby for children to borrow books as they wish. They can either keep the book and donate another or just return the book when they are finished. Our goal is to keep literacy alive in the home.”

Typically, throughout November, the teachers offer activities that culminate in a big family feast with students and parents. Because of the pandemic, this year activities are being sent home. Many of them are designed to open communication among families about how Native families have celebrated their heritage in the past.

To get the tree “ready” for its fall debut, construction paper was sent home to the students with instructions for parents to trace their child’s hand and return the paper “leaves” with their homework packets.

“The tree brings a sense of joy to see such a beautiful mural each day,” King said. “As an educator, we see children get preoccupied with toys and electronics. I hope that our tree will bring the excitement of reading back into the lives of children. There is so much to offer with books. It’s not just the story – it’s the bonding that takes place as you are reading to a child and the excitement in their eyes as they listen with anticipation. I would like to see this tree mural be an opportunity for anyone to use to have a quiet moment for themselves or to share a reading moment with their child.”

King said the Story Tree will tell the story of the seasons and holidays each month. The plan is to use it as a literary focus to highlight books with the changing seasons and related themes such as hibernation.

Another way in which the project will branch out and blossom is by having Mojado add Luiseño language words to the mural.

“Each branch of the Story Tree (or aa’alvish kalaawut in Luiseño) is going to have some strong encouraging words,” Mojado said. “I plan to put the words on the tree soon. I have to talk to my language teacher and get some ideas to brainstorm. Maybe the elders can come and add sayings or some encouraging words of wisdom, too.”

Find your latest news here at the Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle

The post STORY TREE GROWS AT SOBOBA PRESCHOOL appeared first on The Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle.

Simply trying to adjust while still trying to be a quality teacher pushes me to attempt to do better for the children’s benefit.” Instead of being thrown by such an unorthodox teaching situation, Garcia and others at the school have gotten very creative. “One particular highlight was Soboba Spirit Week while quarantined,” she said. “Each dress-up day was dedicated to the various people in our communities who are affected by COVID-19.

This week sparked the trend of using social media as a platform to keep in contact with our students and their families. Teachers and parents shared pictures showing off their school spirit from the safety of their homes. It was a fun way to let them know we are still here for them and to bring some light to the current situation.” Garcia’s job at the preschool was a result of her involvement in the Tribal Member Employment Development Training Program, which she was accepted to in 2019. She had worked several different positions in various departments during the past year, but most recently had been an intern at the preschool.

She has been interested in a position such as this since high school when she participated in Soboba TANF’s WE Lead summer job program and was given the opportunity to work at the preschool. She enjoyed it so much she took a CTE Child Development course at school and more classes at college where she majored in Child and Family Development. “This introduced a more in-depth study of early childhood development and working with others,” said Garcia, who lives in San Jacinto. “Even with my past experiences in the field, I have gained so much more knowledge since working at the preschool as part of the Tribal Member Employment Development Training Program.” She signed up for the program to get a more hands-on experience where she could apply her education.

But she also welcomed the challenge of working in other departments and learning new skills. “The program primarily demonstrated what a real-life job hiring process is like, including all of the steps it takes before actually starting a new job position. Being given the opportunity to meet others with the same desire to work for our tribe was a major blessing,” Garcia said. “I believe the program’s different job placements from time to time throughout my year prepared me in adapting to different work environments and responsibilities, getting me out of my comfort zone, and encouraging a positive work ethic no matter where I am.

Because of this, I feel I was able to succeed so highly at the preschool.” She enjoys assisting any and all staff, students and families she interacts with daily. Before the school was closed due to the coronavirus pandemic and distance learning was implemented, Garcia would help with serving children meals, supervising and encouraging play on the playground and indoors, instructing students while doing work and providing a rich learning environment for young children. There are some behind-the-scenes tasks like cleaning, prepping activities and/or events, and filing that she also took part in on a regular basis. Her new normal, along with others at the preschool, consists of social media interaction with the students.

“Julissa has been a lot of fun making videos and activities for the students,” said preschool director, Dianne King. “One of our first Facebook Spirit Days was to honor the elders who may be struggling during this time. Julissa dressed up as an elder and made a video of circle time as Mrs. Doubtfire. She is such a team player.” All the teachers have been working on their own circle time videos, dance and movement videos, and activity demonstrations to keep the children engaged and as close to their classrooms as much as possible. And a Facebook page keeps them all connected via social media.

“I’ve personally enjoyed the responsibility of making stay-at-home activities that relate to each week’s homework packet theme,” Garcia said. “It’s always nice to see what their families post or respond to our posts with; sometimes it’s pictures or a simple comment, whatever is comfortable. Regardless, no efforts go unnoticed and are all extremely appreciated by our staff,” Garcia said. “We truly do miss our students!” Preschoolers have been able to compete for prizes as an incentive to participate in Facebook activities. It’s also a way for them to see their friends, even if it is just in photos.

“Watching the young children in our tribal community grow and succeed every single day has to be the most rewarding part of my job,” Garcia said. “It’s the little things that happen daily, to the bigger accomplishments we see from the beginning to end of the school year that I enjoy being a part of. Even the thought of being someone or something positive in their early childhood days, where they can explore and be themselves, while feeling supported and nurtured all at once gives me joy.” The Tribal Member Employment Development Training Program’s objective is to serve Soboba Tribal Members by offering job training and educational experience. It can be effective in helping tribal members enter or return to the work force.

Those with little or no work experience, or other barriers to employment, are targeted by the development program. A recent teacher parade through the streets of the Soboba Reservation was a treat for participants as well as families whose children attend the preschool. “All of the teachers dressed up for the start of Spring and came together to spread love and cheer throughout our tribal community while continuing to practice social distancing,” Garcia said.

“It was definitely a time I enjoyed wholeheartedly; worth cherishing forever. I will never forget the joy expressed on the children’s and their families’ faces, including the wholesomeness I felt witnessing it all.” She said the biggest challenge since the closure has been trying to build and maintain the same connection with students while they are gone.

“We can’t expect our students to log on to a virtual classroom nearly every day like we can with grade school students, so there are certainly barriers we face trying to keep young children excited and motivated to learn,” Garcia said. “Part of this challenge is considering that not everyone has access to materials we have available in the classroom so trying to think outside of the norm to provide the same quality crafts and activities to be done at home gets tough.

For the most part, we are sending everything they need to complete activities or crafts home with them to enjoy.”

Find your latest news here at the Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle

Search: Soboba Preschool Teacher

The post SOBOBA PRESCHOOL TEACHER THINKS OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM appeared first on The Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle.

As kindergartner Selena Rivera crossed the stage to receive her diploma and a performing arts award, she became the seventh in her family to complete the tribal preschool program. The first was her sister, Tanya Rivera who is now 15.

“Attending this school made me learn more about my culture,” said Tanya. “It also made me more open and willing to talk to people in the community.”

Six-year-old Selena, who wants to be a teacher when she grows up, said her favorite part of kindergarten was anything to do with math. Their parents said they feel their six daughters and one son built a very strong educational foundation with the help of the preschool program they all entered at the age of two.

“I think it helped they got more one-on-one attention here – they seemed more advanced in their learning when they got to first grade,” dad Louie Rivera said.

Mom Tanya Briones-Rivera said Selena is looking forward to first grade at Estudillo Elementary because she can’t wait to ride a school bus.

The preschool added a kindergarten class in the 2014/2015 school year when it moved into its new school building which is when their son, Manuel Rivera, graduated.

The children were reminded that the Soboba Band of Luiseño Indians has created many job opportunities for them to aspire to after they complete the rest of their education. They no longer have to go out into the world to find success – they can make a difference in their own community.

Before being released to celebrate the adventure that awaits them, each graduate received a diploma, a customized award and their chosen career path was divulged.

The Kindergarten Class of 2019 is: Alawish Arviso (best all-around student, race car driver), Paa’ayat Arviso (super math, build and own a McDonalds), Aria Basquez (math, teacher), Gabriel Bentancourt (technology, zookeeper), Gilbert Bentancourt (engineering, dirt bike rider), Reuben Briones (STEM, car designer), Nayeli Brittian (homework, Target employee), Shuriah Cardenas (art, art teacher), Ashwut Castello (STEAM, firefighter), Veronica Kolb (math, teacher), John Lopez (athletic, police officer), Logan Lopez (social studies, lawyer), Navaya Masiel (most responsible, mom), Aubrey Mazza (best overall student, SeaWorld trainer), Briella Medina (leadership, baker), Marlee Mendoza (best friend, teacher), Kisil Morreo (perseverance, video game designer), Mary Rose Morreo (citizenship, chef at Disney World), Brian Ortiz (marvelous magnetism, police officer), Selena Rivera (performing arts, teacher), Anthony Torres (science, scientist) and Zeke Velazquez (performing arts, supercross rider).

Pre-kindergarten students had some strong ideas of what they want to do in the future as well. From doctors and teachers to police officers and an astronaut, the young children were all smiles as they completed the next step in their educational journey.

Class of 2019 students promoted to kindergarten are:  Kihuut-Tuukut Adame, Alison Arrietta, Anastacio Basquez, Julian Briones, Nola Briones, Muukumikat Gonzalez, Sukmal Herrera, Rihanna Kashersky, Levi Kitchen, Kyle Kolb, Alize Lara, Nattane Lopez, Marilyn Mendoza, Jayden Miranda, Kainoa Nunez, Takoda Nunez, Isaac Peralta, Mac Pineda, Jake Ramirez, Chélésh Resvaloso, Zyanya Reyes, Yawaywish Russell, Alylah Salgado, Hezekiah Smith, Mée’qa$ Soto, Tulóvat Témanxwanvish, Kali Valenzuela, Atreyu Valenzuella, Tuupangawish Powkimawish Valenzuella, Ash-wut Vega and Kuláawut Vega.

The post Soboba Preschool Promotes Students appeared first on The Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle.