Preschool Administrator Lenora “Ponie” Mojado thanked everyone for coming to support the children who will be able to take more field trips and have added classroom enhancements because of their generosity.

“Thank you so much for coming out tonight,” Mojado said. “This helps the preschool and kindergarten classes take trips throughout the whole school year. I want to say a special thanks to the preschool families who donated baskets, bingo items, and food for the preschool snack shack. We wouldn’t be here without you. I also want to give a big shout-out to the preschool parents, families, cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandparents who helped the preschool during this entire school year. We truly couldn’t have done it without your support.”

Aside from the $20 admission ticket which included a delicious dinner by Tribal Chef Anita Morillo and crew plus four Bingo cards, raffle tickets, additional game cards and a 50-50 drawing opportunity were made available. The response was overwhelming as guests lined up to purchase more chances to win.

Geneva Mojado and Monica Herrera welcomed the sold-out crowd on behalf of the entire Tribal Council. They also assisted with those wishing to purchase additional cards or tickets and introduced the current Daughter of Soboba ($óvoova Po’$wáamay) Su’la Arviso, who was also lending a hand throughout the evening.

It wasn’t just community members who attended to have a great meal, spend time with family and friends and have a chance of winning some amazing prizes. All staff members from the preschool joined in to help out in many different ways. Most notably is the time they spent collecting donations for the 76 outstanding raffle prize baskets that filled tables across the front of the room. Weeks of preparation included selling all of the tickets before the big night.

The event also brought out volunteers from the Soboba Youth Council and members of the Four Directions club who earned high school community service hours for their work serving up pasta dinners, helping with raffle prize giveaways and more.

Raya Salgado, Chairwoman of Soboba Youth Council and Vice President of the Four Directions club at San Jacinto High School where she is a sophomore, was happy to help wherever she was needed. Joining Raya to assist with the fundraiser were fellow Soboba Youth Council members Shania Guacheno and Noyaaykit Silvas and fellow Four Directions club members President Moyla Arviso, Secretary Ginger Velazquez, Lokelani Basquez, Aisha Kabeer, and Irene Cervantes.

The Soboba Youth Council is hosting their own Bingo Night on June 12 from 6-8 p.m. It will be similar in structure, and they are hoping to attract game lovers from all over to participate.

Although Raya’s time was donated, she didn’t go home empty handed. Her father Jerome Salgado bought a lot of raffle tickets, and it paid off very well. One of the baskets he won contained an Insta360 action camera that Raya has been saving up to buy. As a photographer for school and community functions and sporting events, she has shared her talent and skill with many outlets.

Guests were able to put tickets in the boxes for the raffle prizes they liked best, so all lucky winners went home with something they truly wanted or needed. Buckets geared to movie nights and game nights were popular with families and children-themed buckets got the preschoolers excited.

Cellophane covered baskets and buckets ran the gamut from a variety of kitchen items such as air fryers, cookware and coffee pots to an outdoor gas BBQ grill. Soboba Rx compiled health-related items for men, women and children. Preschoolers who were attending the event with their parents had a say in which tickets were placed inside the box in front of baskets filled with activities geared toward the young set such as toys, games and plushies.

Soboba Tribal Environmental Department provided a bucket filled with energy-saving devices and a gift card for Roadrunner Express. Raising Cane’s donated one filled with Cane’s merchandise and a gift card for their chicken meals. Two portable generators and a 70-inch Roku TV attracted a lot of attention and a camping bundle proved there was something for everyone. Soboba Casino Resort offered a two-night deluxe room stay that included a round of golf for two, a voucher for $100 in slot play and a $200 dining credit at their award-winning Canyons Steakhouse.

Tellez Party Rentals donated a free jumper rental that included a cake from JT Bakes and the Noli Beading Club’s basket had beautiful jewelry pieces plus a children’s beading kit. Two Angels baseball baskets featured team merchandise and two admission tickets, courtesy of Leland Razon.

Soboba Foundation Sponsorship Coordinator Andrew Vallejos emceed the event for the third year in a row. As always, he kept the event flowing with his energetic and engaging style.

Pastors Albert and Virginia Duenaz of the Kut’-Poki Soboba Lighthouse church came to support the preschool where their granddaughter attends. She is a student in Ana Garcia’s pre-kindergarten class. Both help out at the school whenever they can.

Garcia was among the teachers that led tiebreaker games for two of the Bingo games. The first one resulted in a three-way tie. It was a preschool-themed color game where Garcia rapidly called out color names and contestants had to touch any one of the color sheets except that one. It took a few minutes, but Carrie Garcia eventually emerged the winner of the $200 payout.

The next tiebreaker resulted in a head-to-head cup stacking competition, also a favorite preschool activity. Preschool teacher Julissa Garcia explained that the two contestants had to stack 15 red SOLO cups on top of each other and then had to separate them out to create a pyramid of rows consisting of 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 stacked cups, using only one hand. Pepe Figueroa won and walked away with $200 cash. The third Bingo game was a solo win by Marian Chacon with no tiebreaker game needed. Although the fourth game, which was a blackout Bingo, resulted in a tie between Donna Hulstrom and Kristie Shear, they opted to split the prize money.

For players that wanted more action, additional game cards were available for purchase. Additionally, thanks to a generous donation from Alyssa Soza and Junior Medina, whose son Kavikvish Medina is a Pre-K student, two extra rounds of bingo were offered to those that purchased two special cards for $20. Each of those blackout games had a $500 payout.

Another moneymaker for the preschool was the presence of a snack shack offering all kinds of sweet treats and snack items. The popcorn machine was going nonstop as guests of all ages wanted some. Tara Placencia has volunteered to oversee the operation all four years as she has lots of experience running concession stands at various community events. She was happy to help knowing all the money raised is going back to the preschool. Placencia also donated and served her delicious iced tea and sweet tea, a perennial favorite.

Ponie Mojado ended the evening by giving a shout to all those whose participation and support before and during the event made its success possible. They are Tribal Council, Tribal Executive Officer Steven Estrada, Andrew Vallejos, Preschool Administrative Assistant Maria Hernandez, teachers and staff Julissa Garcia, Jess Thompson, Ana Garcia, Amanda Juarez, Alaina Adkins, Jasmine Basquez, and Rachelle Peterson. She also thanked “amazing chefs Anita, Arlene, Arturo, Perry, and pool staff who helped” along with SCR and staff Corryn Salgado Flores, Johnny Frandsen, and the Soboba Sports Complex. Those who pitched in from Tribal Administration included Ulises Pedroza, Bernadette Jones, Darlene Adkins and Jasmine Robinson, Miguel Rodriguez from IT and members of the Soboba Foundation. Other departments who stepped up were Tribal Family Services, TANF, Soboba Rx, SEDC, Roadrunner Express, and Noli Indian School’s Beading Club. Community partners were In-N-Out, Los Portales Taco Shop, Roscoe’s Promotions, Texas Roadhouse, Raising Cane’s, Stater Bros., LuLu Lounge, Tellez Party Rental, The Bay Customs, JT Bakes, Nails by Leslie, and the Daughter of Soboba Committee.

“Families that helped with organizing and donating baskets were Joey Placencia, Tara Placencia Taryn Placencia, Buster Mojado, Leland and Sunnie Razon, Marian and Hope Chacon, Pamela Miranda, Jillian Miranda and Aayla Sanchez, Sierra Vivanco Mendez, Alyssa Soza, Junior Medina, Crystal Maxcy, Louis Cervantes, Jamie Brittian, Taylor Girard, and Tanya Briones,” Mojado said. “We also had help from Soboba Youth Council, TANF We Lead members and the SJHS Four Directions Club. That’s a long list of incredible people and departments that care so much for our preschool children. We truly appreciate everyone’s support.”

Tickets for Soboba Youth Council’s Bingo Night on June 12 are on sale now at the Soboba Sports Complex for $25 each, which includes dinner and four game cards. Please contact Kaitlyn or Andy at 951-654-1319 with any questions.

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The contest’s final round was held late Thursday afternoon at the Riverside Historic Courthouse, where Notre Dame High squared off with MLK High, also in the Riverside Unified School District, culminating in Notre Dame’s team racking up the highest score to be crowned champions.

The 44th annual trials got underway in mid January, and over the monthlong period, teams from more than two dozen campuses participated. The last time Notre Dame High captured the championship title was February 2022.

“Congratulations to all the student competitors who exhibited extraordinary poise and professionalism that powerfully demonstrates how competitions like the Riverside County Mock Trial are preparing them for a future in the legal field, in higher education and endless opportunities,” county Superintendent of Schools Edwin Gomez said. “I look forward to seeing the county’s top team from Notre Dame High School compete for a state championship.”

The team will now represent the county at the California Mock Trial Competition, slated for March 20-22 in Oakland.

The Office of Education, in partnership with the Constitutional Rights Foundation, Riverside County Bar Association and the Superior Court, sponsor the local competitions annually. The county began holding student-level mock trials in 1983. More than 14,000 youths have participated since then, organizers said.

This year’s contest challenged participants to successfully argue the fictitious case of “People v. Fromholz,” involving an alleged retribution murder tied to outrage felt by the defendant over his encounter with a food critic, who found the man’s cuisine unpalatable — and said so publicly.

Students were tasked with analyzing forensic evidence, admissibility of statements, possible due process infringements and other matters during the trials. There were 26 teams registered for the opening round last month. They consisted of eight to 25 students playing the parts of deputy district attorneys, defense attorneys, bailiffs, witnesses, clerks and investigators.

Contestants were given allotted time, about four to six minutes, at each stage of a proceeding, including opening statements, closing arguments and cross-examinations. Practicing attorneys and judges assessed students’ performance, awarding points in accordance with criteria established for the contest.

MLK High took second place this year, while Poly High School and Ramona High School, both in the Riverside Unified School District, shared third place.

Poly High won the county’s 2025 contest, repeating on its victory in 2024.

Additional information is available at www.rcoe.us.

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Children were asked to bring a Valentine Gram to “deliver” to each of their peers during rug circle time while recipients were taught the importance of saying thank you and being appreciative of the kind gesture. Preschool Administrator Lenora “Ponie” Mojado said parents brought treats for their students to share with classmates.

The youngest preschoolers were given a family project to decorate a box they could bring to school to use to collect all the grams from their classmates. The boxes clearly reflected the children’s interests, from Spiderman to princesses and Pet Patrol characters.

Nakasha’ Way Tohee loves trains, cars and anything that moves according to his mom Celena Morillo. He had fun making a “friendship train” and she enjoyed helping him see his idea come to fruition. His “grams” were dinosaur cards that had candy connected to them.

“He loves stickers, too, so he put them all over the top of his train,” she said. “I like how the teachers here are so interactive with the kids.” She recalled a past project where they were asked to create a cultural doll and explain the meaning behind it all. “It really helps them with understanding where they come from.”

The class’s friendship party started with the kids decorating their own heart-shaped cookie at their place at the table. That was followed by instructional aide Jess Thompson and teacher Julissa Garcia taking around the goodies brought in for the day. Each one was announced with the student whose family supplied it asking them to thank that student, which they did in unison.

Pre-K teacher Ana Garcia took full advantage of the holiday and spent the week teaching her students meaningful lessons. Their letter of the week was V for valentines, their shape was a heart and their color was pink, which they also learned how to say in the Luiseño language. They also sang a song with the phrase “I love you” in Luiseño. Garcia incorporates language into all of her daily lessons and activities.

“We shared lots of books and stories about valentines and friends, too,” Garcia said. She was joined this week by a new instructional aide, Amanda Juarez, who has 20 years of experience in early childhood education. Her knowledge was evident when she engaged the children in talking about their treats; asking them the names and colors of their fruits and having them count them.

Alaina Adkins kept her kindergarten students busy with a science lesson before they distributed their grams and enjoyed the treats that were donated by staff and families. With the help of instructional aide Jasmine Basquez, students were given a tray filled with baking soda and a bowl of colorful candy conversation hearts. Then each one received a small cup filled with purple or red vinegar and an eyedropper. They were instructed to place the candy hearts onto the baking soda (and not to eat them) and then fill the dropper with some vinegar to release on each of the hearts.

The fizzy and bubbly reaction caused lots of oohs and ahhs from the kids, with Mav Vega exclaiming, “This is the best day ever!” and getting agreement from classmates at his table. This STEM activity was a lesson in cause and effect as mixing baking soda (a base) and vinegar (an acid) demonstrates a chemical reaction producing carbon dioxide gas. It also served as a reinforcement of fine motor skills by having them use the eyedropper unassisted. Most kids covered the entire tray with drops of vinegar to watch it fizz over and over again while others made shapes from the new pasty material they had created.

After washing their hands, they were excused to sit down at the rug area. Each student was called to take their grams around the circle and make sure that everyone received one to put inside the shopping bag they had decorated with hearts. Marcie Brane was the first one to begin handing out her items and she got a “Thank you, bestie” reply and other heartfelt thanks from her classmates.

Next up for the Soboba Tribal Preschool is their Bingo Night fundraiser on March 6 at the Soboba Sports Complex. Tickets are selling fast with all proceeds benefiting the children’s annual end-of-school year trip. For $20, the ticket holder receives four Bingo game play slips, dinner and a raffle ticket. Extra game slips and raffle tickets can be purchased at the event. For more information, 951-487-8732.

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After being treated to enthusiastic singing and dancing, everyone was treated to a lunch with delicious Mexican fare, ranging from beef or chicken enchiladas to Pozole prepared by the preschool kitchen staff headed by Chef Anita Morillo. The desserts table was laden with sweet treats provided by the students’ family members and preschool staff.

The walls were decorated with colorful images of all things fall as well as comments about what the young ones are most thankful for this time of year.

Talla Grant said she is thankful for, “My whole family. Everybody, like Papa Joe too. And learning how to be strong, too.” Jaxton Vivanco’s gratitude is for, “My mom, my dad, Jameson, Ka’uush, Rex, Spiderman, and Jericho.”

“Pete the Cat, mom, dad, and grandma” made the list for Eshash Shuullaw, while “Family & noodles” are what Erika Yazzie said.

Most of the kindergartners were thankful for their family members who they love very much. Paxaa Lindsey wrote, “I am thankful for…my parents, my friends and pets.”

The love goes both ways as evidenced by the parents and grandparents who attended the event and enjoyed spending time with their children and extended families.

Maria Vivanco is thankful for her 10, and soon to be 11, grandchildren of all ages. Three of them attend the Soboba Tribal Preschool and she enjoyed seeing them on stage performing their songs and dances.

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“We have a lot more activities planned,” Preschool Administrator Lenora “Ponie” Mojado said. “We have more than 15 new students this year but a lot of returnees, too.”

She said there will be more focus on social emotional learning (SEL) which involves self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision making. Lessons will revolve around identifying feelings and learning how to express them in a positive way and be adapted to each specific age group. Preschoolers will learn more through play therapy while kindergartners can understand bigger concepts and grasp ideas since many already possess social emotional intelligence.

Preschool teacher Julissa Garcia has assistance from Instructional Aide Jess Thompson and preschool staff member Jasmine Basquez where they have dubbed it the “Home Sweet Classroom.” They have set it up to closely mimic a household to help the children make the transition from their first experience of being away from home. They have a reading garden, a kitchen and laundry room. There are framed photos of family members throughout the room.

“We want to make them as comfortable as possible, making it feel homey in here,” Garcia said. She said the children are opening up a lot more already and they are seeing their unique personalities emerge. The focus will be on improving fine and gross motor skills that will be achieved through crafts and fun activities. They are also trying to incorporate the Luiseño language into their lessons a lot more this year.

Pre-kindergarten teacher Ana Garcia and Instructional Aide Alaina Adkins have a “Welcome to the Jungle” classroom theme and the children are loving it. From a reading hut area where they can pretend to be animals in the forest to areas for art and life skills, students are encouraged to be “wild about learning.”

“We are offering a lot of hands-on learning for the first part of the semester and after winter break we will offer more in-depth lessons to prepare them for their transition into kindergarten,” Adkins said.

She said many of the children in her classroom attended the preschool last year, so they are familiar with the campus already. There are three new students that have been added so far and she said they are adjusting very well.

“It’s their first experience being in an environment with other children their age but they all love doing the new things we put out for them, so it makes us happy that they enjoy it,” Garcia said.

Marian Chacon’s great-grandson Brian is four years old and his older sister Violet, who graduated from the Soboba Tribal Preschool, is in second grade now. Brian treated his family members to a grand tour of all the different areas he utilizes in his pre-k classroom.

Shakoora Kabeer has two daughters at the school this year—Daiya Muhammad, 3, and Sumaya Muhammad, 4. She said enrolling them at the preschool came at the perfect time as she also has a newborn, Safiya, who is only a month old.

Kindergarten teacher Laura Aldrete said things have been going well since school started in early August. To conserve paper, the children are using dry erase workbooks and are working on their fine motor skills. The students are seated in small groups of three, which is a change from last year’s class where each desk was independent.

Chase Davies has a son, Hunwut Castello, in preschool and a daughter, Moyla Castello, in kindergarten and loves the school. She said Moyla has lots of friends and cousins in her class.

“They do a lot with their culture and teach them words of the day and week in Luiseño,” Davies said. Even though this is his first school experience, she said once Hunwut gets on campus he loves it.

Families were treated to a delicious stew created by Head Chef Anita Morillo and her kitchen staff Arturo Horta and Perry ReDonde, served in the multipurpose room. Also on hand were vendors that offer resources to families with children of all ages. School psychologist Rachelle Peterson shared her role with families, which includes spending mornings at the preschool to provide emotional and behavioral support, counseling, skills building, family support and more.

Representatives from Soboba Tribal Family Services shared the various programs they offer to support families. Alicia Golchuk, Desiree Salazar and Catherine Gonzalez were available to answer questions and share information.

Health Education Assistants Hosea Jones and Taylor Hart with the CalFresh Healthy Living program for Riverside University Health System offered activity books that make it fun for young kids to learn about eating healthy. They also brought along a fresh fruit punch to show there are delicious tasting healthy alternatives to sugary drinks and sodas.

“We plan to stay connected to the preschool and provide nutritional information whenever we are invited to do so,” Jones said.

Sylvan Learning has tutors working with some of the kindergarten students Monday-Thursday and they also offer assistance to Soboba Tribal TANF students of all ages. “Parents find it helpful that the tutoring closes any gaps their child may have,” Lead tutor Victoria Valenzuela said. She added that being able to do their homework in that setting is a huge benefit for the students.

Tribal Family Partners Project Coordinator Jessica Plumlee shared a fishing game with the young people that helps enhance hand-eye coordination, while bringing awareness to her program to the adults. The home visitation program serves mothers and babies as it is built around mindfulness and can help reduce any postpartum issues that new mothers may have. “It’s all about keeping our families strong and healthy,” she said.

Also hosting tables and handing out goodies for the children at the event were members of the Soboba Fire Department and the Department of Public Safety.

The Soboba Tribal Preschool provides comprehensive education for children from preschool to kindergarten and staff is committed to creating a pathway to success. Age and developmentally appropriate lessons and activities are designed to engage children and promote growth in all areas. Its quality programming and nurturing environment meet the educational and developmental needs of children living on the Soboba Indian Reservation and surrounding tribal communities. The Luiseño culture and language play a significant role in the school’s curriculum.

Mojado, who works closely with Administrative Assistant Maria Hernandez, said she hopes to get more parent volunteers this year. She said they are also encouraging parents to make sure the students arrive on time so as not to cause a classroom distraction. Mojado added that while there are definitely times children need to stay home due to illness and other factors, she wants parents to understand that missing school means their children are missing out on important lessons as many things are taught on a graduated basis and all steppingstones are necessary to reach their full potential.

For more information, call 951-487-8732 or visit https://preschool.soboba-nsn.gov/.

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TFP Project Coordinator Jessica Plumlee and Parent Partner I Amanda Nogales shared a table of informational handouts for families and then did a short presentation that highlighted the most important goals of what they refer to as “potty learning.”

Plumlee said there are several steps to accomplish before children are considered ready, emphasizing that just as children walk at different ages, they also develop the skills for using the toilet at different ages. It is important to support the child’s attempts at learning at their own speed although the ideal age to introduce them to this process is typically two-and-a-half years.

The five signs that a child is ready starts with communication—understanding when they have to go, either through words or facial expressions. Next is comfort as a child will ask to be changed or let you know when they are in a wet or dirty diaper. Interest plays a key role as the child starts paying more attention to the toddler potty chair, grown-up toilet, or asks about bathroom habits.

Further, they need to be independent enough to pull their pants up and down without assistance and sit and stand without support. They need to be able to get on and off the seat with ease, whether they use a free-standing toddler size training potty chair or an adjustable seat and step stool for a full-size toilet. Another sign of readiness is when their diaper stays dry for at least two hours at a time during the day.

Even after they are fully trained, accidents will happen and bedwetting is not uncommon until the age of seven, because children sometimes sleep too deeply to wake up.

“Be calm and patient,” Plumlee said. “Remember that cognitive, motor and social skills all need to be at the same developmental levels.”

Nogales offered some helpful tips and tricks. She said families need to decide and be consistent with the language that is used to explain when their child needs to use the toilet. Sometimes sign language is used and that can be helpful for children who are not verbal.

“You are their first role model and teacher,” she said. “Get them involved in the bathroom.”

She said letting the child pick out the stickers they want to use for their potty training chart is also a good incentive. 

To enroll at the preschool, children have to be at least three years old as of September 2 and be toilet-trained. That’s why Nogales said it is a good idea to ask their teacher what the school routine is like so they can start getting them ready at home.

“Potty learning doesn’t have to be stressful,” she said. “It’s really important to praise your children and realize this is a new concept for them so talking it through with them is very helpful.”

As children start to become independent, they want to have more control so it’s important to avoid power struggles by keeping things as stress free as possible. There are many books, songs and short videos on the subject that can be shared with them to help them understand.

Children also need to be taught proper hygiene, which led to one of the games that was set up. A balloon wiping game let kids have fun while learning about the importance of wiping after using the toilet. Two inflated balloons filled with shaving cream between them were tied to the back of a chair and the children had to reach around with toilet paper to try and wipe it clean. 

There were plenty of other fun games and activities to keep kids busy with help from all the teachers. Pin the Poop in the toilet was popular among all ages as many of the kids had older siblings joining them at the event. A few games used rolled up disposable diapers in a variety of ways – as a hockey puck, a bowling ball and a basketball. Prizes just for trying included stickers and small toys. There was a table with coloring pages and crafts.

Not all the games were for the kids as adults were given a chance to play a few rounds of Bingo, facilitated by Pre-K Instructional Aide Alaina Adkins. Preschool Administrator Lenora “Ponie” Mojado pointed out that every spring the preschool holds a community Bingo night to raise funds for an end-of-the-year trip to Legoland. The success of this event has been invaluable to the preschool program, and they look forward to promoting it whenever possible.

Bingo and raffle prizes were on theme as pint-sized soft toilet seats and character underwear were bundled together for lucky recipients to start using when the time is right. Some school backpacks filled with potty training tools, books and school items were donated by Tribal Family Partners.

A delicious lunch was prepared by Tribal Chef Anita Morillo and her team and there was plenty of fresh fruit, sandwiches and pasta for everyone to enjoy.

Families were then treated to a tour of the preschool to see what is in store for children who are starting there when the new school year begins on Aug. 5.

Tribal Family Partners offer many free programs to support Native families with children 0-5. They offer biweekly home visits, parent/child activities, early child development education, family wellbeing, cultural events, resource connections and development screenings, all at no cost. TFP is a grant funded program that has served Native families in Riverside and San Bernardino counties for the past 11 years. To learn more, please call 951-849-4761, ext. 1136.

For more information about the Soboba Tribal Preschool, call 951-487-8732 or visit  https://preschool.soboba-nsn.gov.

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Once they were all lined up in front of the stage, Soboba Elder Marian Chacon offered a blessing for the parents, families and all the helpers.

“Heavenly Creator, we ask you to bless these children and to keep them safe as they go on to new adventures,” she said in part.

The Intertribal Bird Singers and Dancers then joined the students, with girls in their traditional bird skirts and boys with their handmade gourd rattles.

After they all took their seats on stage, Preschool Administrator Lenora “Ponie” Mojado welcomed everyone to the event. Her words were heartfelt and a little bittersweet as she recalled the past year working with the students, many who she has known throughout the seven years she has been at the preschool, first as a teacher’s aide and then as a preschool teacher

“It is a great honor to celebrate these kindergartners,” she said. “These children are special to my heart and will forever be my friends.”

Mojado told the children she will miss the talks she had with them throughout the school day as they leave and move on to first grade.

“Remember to feel confident, be fearless, and strive for greatness,” she told them. “Whether you become leaders in the Tribe, work for the Tribe, or pursue careers as educators, lawyers, doctors, I want you all to find success in life. I look forward to seeing you at the Fiesta, softball tournaments, gatherings, and around the Rez.”

She introduced and thanked teachers Laura Aldrete and Elena Vega-Castello for their hard work and dedication throughout the year.

“Ms. Elena and I are extremely delighted to welcome you all to our 2025 kindergarten graduation,” Aldrete said. She thanked Tribal Council for their help and support of the school, the families for their continued love, support and encouragement, and all the staff and other teachers at the preschool for all they do every day.

To the students she said, “You have learned so much during your time in kindergarten. You have learned ABCs and 123s, painted beautiful pictures, told wonderful stories, and discovered the joy of learning. Each of you has worked so hard and we are all so proud of you. Dream big and remember each and every one of you is unique and can be and do anything.”

Graduates are Cha’ish Briones, Loovi Burton, Emilia Chapparosa, Kai Crook, Leilani Grant, Jensen Hamilton, Jonathan Helms Jr., Palki Herrera, Dominick Lara, Azalea MacDonald, Kisinta Martinez, Lupitah Miranda, Anthony Ortega, Paa’akal Resvaloso, Tavish Valdez, Jefferey Vallez, Avellaka Vega, Notoowish Velazquez, and Jericho Vivanco.

The students then performed songs before being presented with their individualized certificates of achievement for excelling in math, reading, painting, making friends, and more. A video message by each of them, describing what they had enjoyed most about the school year, was played on the big screen as they posed with their certificate and diploma for photos to be taken.

All of them have set their sights on what they want to do when they grow up. Like most five- and six-year-old children, they might change their minds by the time they graduate from high school in 2037. But for now their plans are to be a professional baseball player (Cha’ish); ballerina teacher (Loovi); veterinarian (Emilia); police officer (Kai); dolphin trainer (Leilani); pizza baker (Jensen); pizza maker (Jonathan); princess or doctor (Palki); Blue Beetle superhero (Dominick); veterinarian (Azalea); chef (Kisinta); veterinarian (Lupitah); helicopter police officer or SWAT team member (Anthony); doctor (Paa’akal); chef (Tavish); astronaut (Jefferey); doctor (Avellaka); professional dirt bike rider (Notoowish); and police officer (Jericho).

Each child received a gift bag of items, such as a plush bear with a mortarboard and diploma, to remind them of the school’s mascot, a Class of 2025 framed photo of the child in their cap and gown, and a yearbook filled with happy memories from the entire year. Gifts also included an American Doll for the girls and Lego sets for the boys, donated to the school by Santa Claus Inc.

The school is now enrolling for the fall semester. For more information, https://preschool.soboba-nsn.gov.

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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.

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.

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 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.”

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.”

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.

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.

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Rainbow tablecloths, potted flower centerpieces and colorful balloons greeted the guests as they arrived for the mid-morning brunch. It was obvious that a lot of preparation went into the special event as evidenced by the array of handmade gifts the children presented to their moms.

Preschoolers created a keepsake handprint flower with a photo of them in the center, “planted” in a pot that read: “This is the hand you used to hold, when I was only three years old.” Another gift was a suncatcher with dried flowers used to decorate a painted handprint and pressed between glass. They also completed questionnaires about their moms that were laminated to last. Moms said some of the answers were correct, such as their favorite color and food, and others brought smiles to their faces.

Ellie Calderon answered that if she could buy her mother Angie any gift, she would get her “all the unicorns in the world.” And she thinks her mom looks beautiful when “she hugs me and says she loves me.”

Pre-K students made larger pots with photos, decorated a small heart shaped ceramic dish that moms could use for rings and things, and used colorful squares to make a mosaic flower that was laminated to keep all pieces in place. The children wrote their names on the back around the printed sentiment that read, “If mothers were flowers, I’d pick you.” All items were packaged in a festive pink Happy Mother’s Day gift bag.

Kindergarten kids colored flowers that were printed on canvas tote bags. Inside was a laminated frame of a flower bouquet that the children colored and completed reasons why “My mom is the best mom.” They also drew a picture of their mom on a small plate that read, “Everything I am, you helped me to be” and created bookmarks using their finger and thumb prints.

Lorina Duro, who was attending as a guest of her great granddaughter, kindergartner Kisinta Martinez, said what she likes about the preschool is that the children are taught their language and about their culture.

After Duro provided a blessing, each group took turns performing two songs they learned for the special occasion. One song was in the Luiseño language and others were about all the things their mothers do for them and how much they are loved.

Kindergartners used yet another gift they made as a prop for the song before presenting it to their mothers. A laminated heart was outlined with button photos they had cut out and glued around the saying, “Moms are like buttons, they hold everything together.”

Before lining up to enjoy the brunch buffet, everyone got to enjoy a paint party with directions from artforkidshub.com projected on a big screen at the front of the room. The guided lesson had kids and their moms use crayons or markers to create a step-by-step tulip on a small canvas that was provided to everyone at the table.

Teachers and aides strolled around the room to offer encouragement, praise and extra crayons to the kids and mothers. After the drawings were completed, Soboba Tribal Preschool Administrator Lenora “Ponie” Mojado told the children they could make the flower any color they wanted. “Also, be sure and write ‘mom’ on it since you all know your letters,” she said.

Mojado’s Mother’s Day plans include a traditional annual trip to the Soboba Casino Resort for brunch with her sister, Geneva Mojado, and both their families. Later in the day, all the ladies in the family plan to meet at Geneva’s house for a barbecue.

Lots of miniature pastries, cookies and other sweets were available as well as waffles, pancakes, individual cups of pasta or watermelon cubes. There was also fresh green salad and small squares of different flavors of cake with “Happy Mother’s Day” toppers on each one.

Ali Arroyo attended with her preschooler Neqpikat Arroyo-Modesto and his younger sister Nikiilisih, 2. She enjoyed the gifts her son made for her and Neqpikat said he had fun drawing the flowers. He completed the sentence, “My mom looks beautiful when” with “she’s in a car or playing softball.” Sunday plans for Mother’s Day were scheduled to include his fourth birthday party with a Monster Jam theme.

“I love how involved everyone at the school is,” said Arroyo, who plans to enroll her daughter as soon as she is ready. “I’d rather they be here for the beginning of their school experience than at another school.”

Sierra Mendez’s son Kuyvaxish is in pre-kindergarten and attended the school last year. She really enjoyed the flowerpot photo and a wooden spoon he decorated with his fingerprints. She said after a birthday party at the house, she expects the rest of her Mother’s Day to be quiet and relaxing.

Taylor Girard loved all the cute gifts presented by her daughter Natalia, who is in preschool. They plan to spend Sunday as a family, enjoying pizza. Renee Rhodes said every gift from her four-year-old daughter Laylah Robledo was good. She especially liked the glass sun catcher that she plans to hang at her desk at work.

“I don’t know how to draw but I was able to do the art project,” Rhodes said. Laylah is the youngest of her seven children, all of whom attended preschool at Soboba. Her plans for Mother’s Day are to “enjoy the day.”

Elena Vega-Castello aids kindergarten teacher Laura Aldrete and has twins who are currently in the Pre-K class with Ana Garcia and Alaina Adkins. Paa’kal and Kut are five years old, and their mom really liked sharing the morning with the other moms while watching her students interact with their families.

Vega-Castello said she really appreciated the flowerpot craft her children made because her daughter’s name (Paa’kal) means sunflower in Luiseño.

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They each received a bag to put their fresh-picked items in so they could take them home to enjoy and share with family. The kindergartners were still talking about their field trip the following day. Lupitah Miranda said she picked some onions and Jericho Vivanco III was excited to find a purple carrot.

The Ranches supply the fresh fruit and vegetables used by the kitchen to prepare meals for the kids’ breakfasts each day. Preschool Administrator Lenora “Ponie” Mojado said the strawberries were really sweet and good and the kids had a really good time there. They are already planning a return trip.

On Thursday, each class held a Spring Party and there were lots of treats donated by parents for them to enjoy during their snack break. They also enjoyed some of the fresh fruit from Bautista Creek Ranches.

Preschoolers used lots of pastel colors to hand paint oversized paper eggs that decorated the classroom’s windows with the message, “We’re ‘egg’-cited about Spring.” Their classroom door announced, “Preschool room is in full bloom” with each child’s face replacing a daisy’s center.

Pre-k students spent the morning using markers to color egg crowns with bunny ears attached, mosaic bunnies from torn construction paper pieces, and other activities. Teacher Ana Garcia said they also had an Easter Bunny coloring page that required them to follow directions while learning their color words through spelling and singing. A party planning list allowed parents to volunteer to bring certain items and Garcia and aide Alaina Adkins put it all together. The class also had a Peeps taste test between blue raspberry and cotton candy flavors of the marshmallow treats and cotton candy was the biggest hit.

Garcia said the children learn about all the seasons and weather while discussing their everyday calendar. Their artwork has been spring-themed and while Adkins and Garcia were setting up tables with colorable table covers and plates decorated with bunnies, the kids were intent on watching a spring tale video featuring Peter Rabbit.

Elena Vega-Castello kept the kindergarten students busy with a “rip art” bunny, coloring wooden bunny shaped ornaments, doing puzzle mazes and connect the dots activities and making chicken hats. She said and teacher Laura Aldrete discuss the different types of clothing worn during different seasons so the children learn about the type of weather to expect during springtime. Their classroom billboard inspired them to “Spring Into a Good Book” and let them know that “We Bloom Together.”

On Friday, April 18, kids didn’t have regular classes but went to the preschool campus to participate in an Easter Egg Hunt on their playground. Joined by family members, they also were treated to a delicious to-go lunch of Alfredo pasta with fresh green, orange, red and yellow peppers, spaghetti, fresh salad and tangerines from Bautista Creek Ranches.

Teachers and staff all pitched in to make balloon decorations for the multi-purpose room, where the Easter Bunny posed with children for photos, and to fill and hide hundreds of colorful plastic eggs for the kids to find. Golden eggs were also hidden, and the lucky finders received a special toy.

The fun started with the preschoolers at 10:30 a.m., followed by the Pre-K kids at 11:15 and the Kindergartners at noon. As they waited at the start line for the green light to enter the playground, eagle-eyed students scouted the playground and plotted their first moves.

One pre-k student was interested in looking for all the red colored eggs while others were counting out loud how many they could see from their vantage point at the edge of the play area.

With bags, baskets and buckets, all the children came ready for fun as their parents and siblings stood nearby, some taking photos and videos while others encouraged their children to look in certain directions.

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