Sofia Alvarez Velazques graduated from San Jacinto Leadership Academy with a deep desire to support multilingual learners. Born in Mexico and once an English learner herself, Sofia was inspired by supportive teachers who helped her find confidence and belonging as she struggled to learn her new language. Sofia plans to attend Mt. San Jacinto College, where she will major in Early Childhood Education then transfer to Cal State San Bernardino and pursue an English Language Development certification. Her goal is to become an ELD teacher who creates that same sense of encouragement for her students that she received and to give back to the San Jacinto community that shaped her.

Daisy Campa completed her senior year at Alessandro High School with a reputation for resilience and steady academic growth. Teachers described Daisy as personable, supportive, and consistently prepared, noting her “willingness to engage in discussions” and “positive influence” on campus. Daisy plans to attend Mt. San Jacinto College to major in Education and become a special education teacher. Inspired by her younger brother, who has autism, she hopes to help children improve their communication skills and gain confidence.

Mckenzie Harnit made quite an impact at Hemet High School through her boundless energy and wide‑ranging involvement. A four‑year cheerleader and three‑year STUNT athlete, she also served as the school mascot while excelling in academic clubs and maintaining a 5.0 GPA. Her commitment to community service further strengthened her record of leadership. Mckenzie will attend UC Santa Barbara, where she plans to major in Applied Mathematics and become a high school math teacher.

Nicholas Hockman, a recent graduate of the Western Center Academy, was an exceptional scholar and campus leader whose discipline and kindness shaped every part of his high school experience. With a 4.40 GPA, he excelled in AP Biology, Biotechnology and Marine Biology and helped lead hands‑on STEM activities for elementary students. As a two‑year Link Crew leader, he designed and taught lessons that strengthened his passion for education. Nicholas plans to attend CSU San Marcos with a major in Biology and wants to become a high school biology teacher who inspires students to love science and believe in themselves.

Silvia Sandoval graduated from San Jacinto High School as a scholar known for intellectual drive and outstanding leadership. With a 4.1 GPA and advanced coursework in mathematics, she earned multiple honors, including the Tiger Excellence Gold Medal. Silvia also served as a math tutor for Upward Bound and held leadership roles in AP Club, Tiger Den, and Paws and Claws. Her future plans are to study Mathematics at Mt. San Jacinto College then transfer to UCLA to become a math teacher and inspire future students.

Yesenia Sandoval completed her studies at Nuview Bridge Early College High School with a relentless academic drive and a strong commitment to young learners. She even earned two associate degrees while still in high school. Her involvement in theater, cheer, and as track manager, highlighted her dependability and leadership. Yesenia will attend CSU Fullerton, where she will major in Child and Adolescent Studies and eventually teach kindergarten.

Madison Surritt emerged as one of West Valley High School’s most influential student leaders, known for her compassion and ability to bring people together. A multiyear ASB officer and Senior Class President, she also contributed significantly to FFA, Ballet Folklorico, athletics, and numerous campus programs. Her kindness and determination left a lasting mark on her school community. Madison plans to attend Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and major in Agriculture Education, with the hope of becoming an agriculture teacher who empowers students to grow with confidence and purpose.

Lizette Garcia Vargas excelled at Tahquitz High School, maintaining a clear focus on her academics and a deep commitment to serving others. With a 4.0 GPA in rigorous AP and dual‑enrollment courses, she also devoted her time to ASB, AVID, cheer, and the AP Calculus Club. With more than 130 hours of community service, Lizette also demonstrated her desire to give back. She will major in Education at Cal State San Marcos and become an elementary school teacher who is dedicated to helping young students build strong foundations for their futures.

Carolina Vasquez approached her senior year at the Academy of Innovation with a clear sense of purpose and a growing passion for helping others succeed. With a 3.71 GPA, she explored both education and finance, inspired by the importance of financial literacy and the influence of great teachers. Carolina intends to study Education and Finance at Mt. San Jacinto College and plans to become either an elementary teacher or a CTE/finance educator.

Jaidyn Waysack brought dedication and deep commitment to her years at Hamilton High School. With a 3.76 GPA and involvement in ASB, CSF, Friday Night Live, and yearbook, she contributed significantly to student life and campus events. Inspired by teachers who supported her and lifted her up during trying times, she has chosen a path in education. Jaidyn plans to attend UC Riverside, major in Liberal Studies and become an elementary school teacher, continuing the cycle of support she experienced.

Ta’niah Willis graduated from San Jacinto High School as a dynamic leader whose creativity, resilience, and academic strength shaped her many contributions. With a 3.94 GPA and honors such as the Silver GPA Award and National Society of High School Scholars membership, she excelled academically while leading Theatre Club, BSU, and AFJROTC events. As President of Theatre Club and Vice President of BSU, she demonstrated strong communication, artistic vision and service.  Ta’niah will attend California Baptist University, major Child Development and become an elementary educator. Her goal is to “become the teacher I needed most growing up.”

Each year, CalRTA offers up to 14 $1000 scholarships to qualifying seniors who plan to pursue a career in education.  Part of CalRTA’s mission is to support public education, and Division 33 does just that through its scholarships and “no strings attached” teacher grants for current classroom teachers.  For more information about CalRTA, visit the state website at calrta.org or the Division 33 website at div33.calrta.org.

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“Directing Change gives young people the opportunity to speak openly, support one another and help shape school communities where every student feels valued, understood and encouraged to reach out for help,” Riverside County Superintendent of Schools Edwin Gomez said. “Recognizing our students for expanding mental health awareness is a meaningful opportunity to show how much we value their powerful insights and inspiring creativity.”

Selected entries from the 2026 contest will be shown after a Red Carpet arrival, beginning shortly before 5 p.m. Wednesday at the Fox Performing Arts Center in downtown Riverside.

The competition is held annually as part of the “Youth Creating Change” program. Students are invited to produce vignettes, comparable to public service announcements, that are 30 to 60 seconds long.

A total 213 entries from two dozen schools and nonprofit organizations countywide were submitted this year, according to the Riverside University Health System, which sponsors the contests.

“Supporting the well-being of Riverside County’s young people is one of the most meaningful investments we can make in our future,” Board of Supervisors Chair Karen Spiegel said. “Directing Change gives students a powerful platform to share their voices, uplift one another and inspire change through creativity and compassion. These films reflect the insight, courage and heart of our youth, reminding us that honest conversations build stronger schools, healthier communities and a hopeful future.”

Along with the regular categories focused on suicide prevention and mental health awareness, this year’s event established two additional categories — substance abuse and Boys & Young Men Media Challenge — according to RUHS.

“By encouraging honest storytelling and peer connection, the program helps foster empathy, awareness and a culture of care among youth,” the agency stated.

The event is slated to conclude about 8 p.m. Wednesday.

More information is available at hopeandjustice.art/riversidecounty.

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For the thirteen graduating seniors in the ensemble, the achievement represents years of dedication, perseverance, and growth together. Many of the students began playing music in middle school and have spent the past four years developing not only their musical abilities, but also friendships, discipline, teamwork, and confidence through the SJHS band program.

When the final ratings were announced, seniors described the moment as “Finally,” “Emotional,” “Bittersweet,” and “Our hard work paid off.”

The accomplishment is especially meaningful for Band Director Mr. Patrick Harris, who joined San Jacinto High School four years ago with a vision of elevating the program.

“I knew I had my work cut out for me,” Harris said. “But I pushed them, believed in them, and knew they could do it. All the hard work was worth it.”

Students performed some of the most challenging high school band literature possible, including Grade 5.5 music, demonstrating exceptional musicality, precision, and commitment. Their performance qualified the Tiger Symphonic Band for the California State Band & Orchestra Festival at Sonoma State University in 2027, one of the state’s most prestigious music performance events.

Beyond the awards and recognition, students shared that band provided unforgettable memories through performances, competitions, and travel opportunities. Several seniors hope to continue their musical journeys after graduation by performing in college or professional bands, symphonies, or wind ensembles. As they move forward, Mr. Harris hopes they carry one lesson with them: “Believe in yourself regardless of the naysayers.”

The Tiger Symphonic Band’s achievement reflects the continued growth and excellence of music education throughout San Jacinto Unified School District and the dedication of students committed to reaching their highest potential.

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RIVERSIDE, CA — Students at UC Riverside established an encampment in the middle of campus to protest Israel’s actions in Gaza, joining nearly a dozen universities across California and numerous nationwide to demand the school end “all investments and endowments” benefiting the Jewish state.

“We are joining the student movement, the student Intifada,” according to an unnamed spokeswoman for Students for Justice in Palestine, UCR chapter. “We are not leaving this encampment day and night until the university complies and meets with us to discuss our demands.”

The encampment was set up Monday, with several dozen tents placed on the green adjacent to the campus Bell Tower, recognized as the center of UCR.

Campus administrators did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The specific number of students participating in the peaceful campus demonstration could not be confirmed. On Wednesday, a group of students staged a midday walkout from classes and held a rally at the tower, chanting “Israel is a racist state!” and “Free, free, free Palestine!”

There was no obvious law enforcement presence, and no campus buildings appeared to be obstructed.

The “demands” issued by the SJP UCR chapter included “a full transparent disclosure of all investments and endowments in weapons manufactures and the Israeli genocidal machine,” as well as a “full divestment from weapons manufacturers and any corporations that either fund or profit off the genocidal machine.”

The SJP-UCR representative noted there is no “standing university in Gaza” due to the unabated bombing campaign since early October conducted by the Israeli Defense Forces using U.S.-supplied drones and fighter-bombers.

The chapter spokeswoman alleged American “universities are complicit in the genocide,” and the protests at UCR and other campuses are intended to “condemn war crimes and crimes against humanity.”

Messages taped to the large UCR sign underneath the Bell Tower included “Stop the U.S.-funded Genocide” “End the Occupation Now” and “Ceasefire Now!”

Estimates on the number of campuses where anti-war movements have surfaced over the last month vary, but according to the nonprofit National Students for Justice in Palestine, “solidarity encampments” numbered just over 70 as of May 1.

According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health and the International Committee of Red Cross-affiliated Palestine Red Crescent Society, nearly 35,000 people have been killed in Gaza — over 14,500 of them children — since the deadly Oct. 7 Hamas incursion into Israel, culminating in the IDF’s invasion of the Gaza Strip.

The number of injuries is in excess of 77,000, according to published reports.

Israel’s official casualty rate for the duration of hostilities is 8,730, of which just over 1,000 have been fatalities.

Along with universities, hospitals, refugee camps and residential complexes in Gaza have been targeted, displacing hundreds of thousands of people, according to reports from the region.

Human Rights Watch has alleged Israel “is using starvation of civilians as a method of warfare in the Gaza Strip,” and according to the International Committee of the Red Cross, the humanitarian crisis caused by the bombardments on the Strip’s infrastructure has resulted in almost 500,000 “displaced persons” requiring shelter and other assistance.

The Committee to Protect Journalists said Wednesday that of the 97 reporters killed in hostilities since early October, 92 have been Palestinian. Others have been assaulted, injured and arrested.

The CPJ said the current “war … has led to the deadliest period for journalists since we began gathering data in 1992.”

Aid workers have also been killed. The United Nations has estimated the number at 220, including seven World Central Kitchen volunteers whose vehicle took a direct hit on April 1 during an IDF drone strike on a convoy.

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Mt. San Jacinto College (MSJC) welcomed new and returning students as the spring 2024 semester began this week. A total of 15,304 students were enrolled on the first day of the semester, topping the headcount of 15,055 students recorded on the first day of spring last year.

MSJC offers face-to-face, online, and hybrid courses with a focus on student success. College representatives host welcome tables on campus during the first week of the term to help new and returning students by answering questions, providing guidance, and giving directions to classrooms or other locations on campus.

Rudy Esteban Valles Romero, 16, of San Jacinto, was getting an early start on his college education through the dual enrollment program and received help from the Veterans Resource Center on the San Jacinto Campus.

“I love it here,” he said. “It’s very fun and educational.”

His father, Rudy Valles, is a Marine Corps veteran. He said getting his son a college education through MSJC was “a great accomplishment for the Hispanic community. I am proud of that and thank the veterans center for their help.”

MSJC achieved Hispanic Serving Institution status in 2001 from the U.S. Department of Education.

Banning resident Estevan Mendoza is studying child development and was in his second year at MSJC. He works with students Jacob Tolmachoff and Elena Chavira at the San Jacinto Campus Learning Resource Center as peer tutors.

Tutors at the Temecula Valley and Menifee Valley campuses were ready to help their peers on the first day of the spring semester.

It’s not too late to enroll. Classes in a variety of subjects and formats are available. Visit MSJC.edu for more information.

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Socrates would weep. The great philosopher of ancient Athens was among the first teachers of critical thinking, you might say, and he died for doing so. And now, college philosophy departments — along with the other humanities and the social sciences — are shrinking, with reduced fields of study, smaller teaching staffs and fewer courses.

Part of this shrinkage in many big universities and smaller colleges as well is the result of rising concerns about the cost of a college degree, which can leave graduates and parents in serious debt for years or decades. Students understandably want to feel that their investment of time and money will pay off in the not-too-far future.

A STEM degree — science, tech, engineering and math — often opens up more and better-paid career opportunities than those in other majors. As a result, fewer students are signing up for non-STEM majors and courses, and colleges, already wondering how they’ll survive declines in enrollment, are in turn shrinking those departments.

University humanities and social sciences departments also have been demonized by the far right as hotbeds of “wokeism,” fuzzy thinking and rampant liberalism, where some conservative students and professors say they’re made to feel unwelcome when they are not taking a progressive stance. In North Carolina, the Legislature passed a budget this year that provides funding for new distinguished professorships only in STEM fields at the state’s public universities. Apparently, the legislators also don’t care whether the state produces top-notch urban planners, crime solvers, social workers, psychologists and language translators, all of which fall within social sciences.

It’s a pound-foolish mistake as the colleges’ reputations are likely to slide, making it harder to attract top students or faculty unless the schools can come up with their own money for the high-level professorships. There’s nothing wrong with supporting STEM majors, which provide a path to well-paid, meaningful and fulfilling jobs. But universities were never meant to be merely career-prep schools. They also teach — or should teach — students how to think deeply and critically, analyze smartly, bring people together collaboratively, communicate articulately, as well as innovate and create. All of these traits are at the heart of humanities and social science studies.

They also happen to be traits highly valued by employers. According to a 2013 survey, more than 90% of employers agree that “demonstrated capacity to think critically, communicate clearly, and solve complex problems is more important” than an applicant’s college major, and that ethical judgment, integrity, intercultural skills and the ability to continue learning also were key. Similar surveys a few years later showed the same: Employers were looking for workers who were great communicators and possessed “soft” skills such as critical thinking. If a good future awaits people with these abilities, why are the non-STEM fields often viewed as career dead ends? This is where colleges have let their students down.

Employers are looking for demonstrated capacity, which means they want applicants who have shown these abilities outside the classroom, in some mix of experience with campus organizations, volunteer gigs, internships and paid work. Relatively few colleges do a good job of providing students with those opportunities or guidance in how their studies might translate into rewarding careers. Colleges that want the liberal arts to continue as robust fields of study need to reconsider the status quo.

They should slim down tuition costs and ensure that students graduate with strong skills in critical and innovative thinking and in working with others. Those are abilities that are highly valued by employers in many different industries. At the same time, right-wing politicians (and left-wing, for that matter) should be keeping their fingers out of how universities run their academic programs. They aren’t experts, and their attempts to control colleges arise from personal biases and political interests rather than from sound academic thinking.

It seldom comes to good. Socrates was convicted of impiety and corrupting the youths of Athens, and sentenced to drink poison hemlock. Daring ideas taught by great thinkers have long felt like a threat to petty minds.

DISCLAIMER: The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the various author’s articles on this Opinion piece or elsewhere online or in the newspaper where we have articles with the header “COLUMN/EDITORIAL & OPINION” do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints or official policies of the Publisher, Editor, Reporters or anybody else in the Staff of the Hemet and San Jacinto Chronicle Newspaper.

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INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Indianapolis high school senior Caston Peters had used they and them or he and him pronouns at school for three years without a problem, but they came home a few days into this school year and told their mother that the situation had changed.

Peters, 18 and nonbinary, heard from a teacher that a new state law meant they wouldn’t be able to use those pronouns, or the first name they’ve used for years, without explicit permission from a parent because the pronouns and name don’t correspond with their sex assigned at birth.

This was news to Caston’s mother, Kim Michaelis-Peters, who immediately sent teachers, a counselor and the principal an email asking them to comply with Caston’s wishes, and the school staff did. But even though her own child’s wishes are being respected, Michaelis-Peters said she has deep concerns about what Indiana’s law could mean for students whose parents might not be understanding if they learn from school officials that their child is transgender or nonbinary.

“It makes me feel like there’s going to be a child out there who’s not going to feel safe at home to tell their parents and the school’s going to rat them out for wanting to be called a different name or different pronouns,” she said.

Indiana is among at least 10 states that have enacted laws prohibiting or restricting students from using pronouns or names that don’t match their sex assigned at birth, a restriction that opponents say further marginalizes transgender and nonbinary students. Most of the laws were enacted this year and are part of a historic wave of new restrictions on transgender youth approved by Republican states.

The measures are creating fear for transgender students and sowing confusion for teachers on how to comply but still offer a welcoming environment for everyone in their classes.

“The things that are passing are so vague and so hard to understand that (teachers) don’t know what to do,” said Cheryl Greene, senior director of the Welcoming Schools Program for the Human Rights Campaign Foundation, which advocates for LGBTQ+ rights. “It just creates this ambiguity and fear with educators because it’s not clear.”

Supporters of the laws have argued that parents should have a say if children are using pronouns or names different than those assigned at birth. Republican lawmakers describe it as a parental rights issue alongside efforts to restrict how gender identity is addressed in the classroom or in library materials.

“School districts can’t shut a parent out of their child’s decision about their gender identity because the child objects or because the school believes the parent isn’t supportive enough of an immediate gender transition,” according to a brief signed by nearly two dozen Republican attorneys general and filed in a lawsuit stemming from a California school district’s policy.

Mental health experts and advocates say that requiring parental consent or notification of pronouns forcibly outs trans students, who already face a high risk of bullying and abuse.

Similar restrictions have sparked some opposition in Virginia, where Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin unveiled new model policies over the summer that include a requirement that minors must be referred to by the names and pronouns in their official records unless a parent approves something else. Some school boards have begun to adopt policies consistent with Youngkin’s guidelines while others have balked.

Some teachers in other states are finding ways around the requirements or defying the restrictions, saying they don’t want to put their students at risk. Since the laws are being enacted in states where teachers have little job protection, few are willing to talk on the record.

Jillian Spain, who teaches social studies at a middle school in Yanceyville, North Carolina, said she’s continued to address her students by the names and pronouns they use. Spain said outing a child, which is what the law would do to transgender and nonbinary students, “is not in the job description.”

Spain said the fear of being outed just adds to the pressures students already face, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic that devastated their well-being and academics.

“I am absolutely never, ever, ever going to out a child,” Spain said. “School is supposed to be their safe place. It’s supposed to a place where they can be who they truly are.”

Teachers’ groups say educators have been given little to no guidance on how to comply with the new restrictions, including basic steps like how to get permission from parents of students who use pronouns or names not listed on their birth certificates.

Indiana, like other states, leaves the specifics up to school districts.

The state’s teachers union says Indiana’s new parental notification law, which also bars teachers from providing instruction on human sexuality to students from pre-K through the third grade, is aimed at a problem that doesn’t exist.

“We have heard concerns anecdotally about the potential impact of this law,” Indiana State Teachers Association President Keith Gambill said in a statement. “Teachers are worried that it will create confusion and additional administrative burdens in an already demanding educational environment.”

Kentucky’s new law says teachers and school staff cannot be compelled to use a student’s pronouns if they don’t “conform to the student’s biological sex.”

The law, which includes other provisions dealing with student bathroom assignment and parental consent, has prompted confusion among educators, said Chris Hartman, director of the Fairness Campaign, the state’s highest-profile LGBTQ+ advocacy group. Hartman said it allows educators to ignore students’ wishes about pronouns even if their parents have asked the district not to let it happen.

“The mental health impact on trans kids being willfully misgendered by the adults in the room is disastrous,” Hartman said. He said supportive adults are crucial to keeping transgender students from slipping into depression and considering suicide.

Jefferson County Schools, the state’s largest district with 90,000 students, struggled to comply with the new state law. After a third try, the school board in Louisville adopted a policy that includes giving students with gender dysphoria an exception for bathroom accommodations and adds potential punishment for teachers and staff who willfully and repeatedly misgender a student.

A group of parents and students in Lexington have sued over the Kentucky law. One of the families alleges a school office employee intentionally refused to use their child’s name and pronouns while speaking with them in April. The parents, who are identified by a pseudonym, decided to legally change the child’s name after that encounter, according to the lawsuit, which was filed in late September. The suit asks a judge to declare Kentucky’s new law unconstitutional.

In Indiana, Caston Peters said they think other students will suffer because of that state’s law.

“School is supposed to be a safe spot for us where we can be ourselves without having to deal with being called out, without being bullied or name-called or anything like that,” they said. “And I think for some of us being able to be called the name or pronouns that we prefer it’s something we need. And if we can’t get that at home then having it in another safe place like school — if that’s the only place we can get it — well now it’s being taken away from us. “

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File # EV231020079

Details:

In April 2023, investigators with the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office, Special Victims Unit responded to a high school in the 7400 block of Scholar Way in the city of Eastvale to investigate allegations that a teacher was having inappropriate contact with students. The teacher was subsequently placed on administrative leave during the investigation and has since been released. 

Investigators determined that Chad Costello, a 44-year-old resident of Anaheim, had inappropriate contact with students. On November 16, 2023, Costello was arrested in the city of Anaheim by investigators and will be booked into the Robert Presley Detention Center for child annoyance and sexual battery.

This is an ongoing investigation, and no further details are available.  Anyone with information regarding this case is encouraged to call Investigator J. Andrade at (951) 955-1701.

For media inquiries regarding this incident please contact the Media Information Bureau.

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Organized by the Office of Career Services, the Career Fair is the high point of the fall recruiting season. According to figures from the class of 2022, 98 percent of recent graduates are either employed, continuing their education, or otherwise not job-seeking by the December following graduation.

At the Career Fair, Navya Anne, a first-year MPH student, was excited to learn about several potential employers she had not previously encountered, leading her to broaden her interests from hospital administration to other areas. “The Career Fair has been so helpful in giving me exposure to companies that I wouldn’t have otherwise had exposure to,” she said. “It’s giving me the opportunity to explore and see how I can make an impact.” Second-year MPH student Olamide Fagbamiye agreed, saying, “The best part of [the career fair] is the variety.”

Jack Bowling, an accelerated MPH student, said he benefited from learning about the employers at the Fair ahead of time. He used Columbia’s CareerLink system to find out more about the specific positions they were recruiting for, including those related to his dream job—a position where he can work to reduce Medicaid costs for beneficiaries. “There are few employers that work directly in that space here,” he said. “It’s been great to talk to them today.”

Among the more than 100 recruiters at the event were many Columbia Mailman alumni. Recent grad Joanne Chukwueke, MPH ’23, who now works at Analysis Group enthused about her encounters with students, some of whom she knew. “One way that I’ve been impressed with students is their ambition,” she said. “What makes Columbia students stand out to me is their readiness to get into the workforce and make a beautiful career for themselves.”

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After staff at the St. Jude Mission School on the Soboba Indian Reservation noticed an influx of snakes during the recent warm weather, a lesson on snakes was arranged. Science teacher Jay Dagostino from the nearby Noli Indian School was invited, along with his two pet snakes, to give a presentation on safety and awareness.

The school, which shares a campus with the St. Joseph Catholic Church and has WASC Accreditation and WCEA Certification, serves first through fifth graders and currently has seven students. The small student-teacher ratio allows for more in-depth and one-on-one instruction as well as the flexibility to invite guest speakers to share timely topics.

“We try to tie in real-life experiences as much as possible,” said Donna Ferry, who has been at the school for five years. She was a volunteer for the first year, became principal the second year and added teaching first and second grade in her third year. She has been a primary grades teacher for 30 years. “We have had Michael Madrigal teach the students about native plants and how some are used for medicine, how to care for creation, and he also did bird singing and dancing with our students. Kim Marcus teaches our students their Luiseño Language. Fr. Earl Henley, Fr. Tom Burns and Sr. Gen Sarigumba talked to our students about their journeys entering religious life.”

On Aug. 30, students met in Ferry’s classroom. The other class, with students in grades 3-5, is taught by Jessica Martinez who is a first-year teacher who wanted to teach in a small Catholic school. Ferry said they work as a team to come up with ideas and decide what they will do to augment their students’ learning experiences.

Dagostino arrived with a small glass case that held his two pet ball pythons and generated excitement among the students. After removing them from the case, most were hesitant to approach them until he explained the difference between his tame pet snakes who are used to being around humans and those seen in the wild that could be dangerous. Once they warmed up to the cold-blooded reptiles, almost all the children were willing to touch them while they were held by Dagostino. Ball pythons are not indigenous to the local area but they provided a great interactive experience.

He shared facts about the reptiles as curious students asked questions. Snakes use their tongues to smell by way of glands inside their mouths that help them smell and taste. They also have a row of pit glands above their mouths that allow them to “see” infrared images that tell them if something is warm- or cold-blooded. “They can see movement, but their actual vision is not that great,” Dagostino said. They don’t have eyelids, but a layer of skin protects their eyes since they are open all the time, even when they are asleep.

“When they grow, they shed their skin,” he said, while sharing a couple of examples left behind from a recent shedding of his pets, Gold and Princess Jasmine. Named by his young daughters when they joined the Dagostino family more than 10 years ago, the snakes live in a large aquarium in a detached garage at their Fallbrook home.

Explaining that gopher snakes and kingsnakes are the most common ones seen in the local area and are considered good snakes as they keep rattlesnakes away, he warned the children against ever approaching or touching any snake in the wild. Red racers, or coachwhip snakes, are also seen locally and although they are not poisonous, they can be aggressive and bite. Any snake bite needs to be addressed by medical professionals immediately.

“There are some rattlesnakes in the area and they are poisonous so be aware of your surroundings,” he said as he cautioned the children to watch where they are walking as the reptiles can be camouflaged in high grass and behind rocks. He added that we would be overrun with rodents without snakes and hawks and others that prey on them. “Everything has its place in the world, and a purpose one way or another, and we need to understand and respect that. If you avoid them, they will avoid you,” he said.

Staff member Linda Sheehan added, “All God’s creatures are here for a reason.”

Dagostino also supplied a detailed handout that described in pictures and text some of the different types of snakes found in Southern California and their characteristics, noting that most species are harmless to humans. He adapted his presentation to the younger audience and found them to be very intelligent and well behaved. St. Jude students are currently studying food webs/food chains, so they were interested in knowing what snakes eat, which are mostly rodents, small birds and eggs and some lizards.

“I am lucky to have great administrators that allow me the flexibility to share lessons with other students outside of Noli during my planning period,” he said. “I really enjoy the energy and enthusiasm of the younger students. It makes teaching them very exciting. And I always look for ways to make science fun.”

St. Jude students do not need to be Catholic or Native American although the majority of this year’s students are Soboba Tribal members. Children can be enrolled at any time.

“Catholic or not, our students do learn about the Catholic faith and attend school mass every Tuesday,” Ferry said. “They participate in the readings at Mass and participate in altar serving.”

Antonia Venegas, from Soboba, has been a St. Jude school board member for the past four years. She has two children who attended the school and are now students at Noli Indian School. Her son Kevin is in ninth grade and Samuel is in sixth grade. She found public schools to be overpopulated and welcomed the one-on-one instruction her sons received at St. Jude which helped them get on track with their grade requirements.

“The school has changed tremendously,” she said. “They are now WASC accredited, and they added Luiseño language instruction.”

Board members get regular updates on the school and children and put policies in place as well as research grants and ways to better improve the school.

“The thing I like most is that the children get a lot of one-on-one, and they are introduced to the Luiseño language,” said Venegas, who also sits on the Noli Indian School board. “Sitting on both boards gives me the opportunity to introduce policies and add anything to St. Jude that they are lacking. A lot of times I’m able to include St. Jude in with Noli’s activities. Because St. Jude is such a small school, we were able to include them with Noli’s lunch program as well.”

Camille Diaz, who has been Noli’s School Nurse for several years and is also a Soboba Tribal member, has served on St. Jude’s board of directors for more than three years and has grandchildren who attend the school. She said the school has changed in many ways in recent years.

“One being that there are smaller classroom sizes, which helps our children get all the attention they are not able to get in public schools,” she said. “Our administration has changed, and we were blessed with our new principal Miss Donna Ferry who works very hard with our parents and children to keep them moving forward to a great education. My favorite part of the school is the religion and Luiseño language classes that the students receive.”

Diaz also appreciates the ambition and eagerness of all the staff and teachers, who work so hard at helping the students achieve their academic skills, religion and Native Culture goals.

As a board member, she also gets to help plan events and fundraisers for the students but said her favorite thing to do is watch her grandchildren participate in church events. She said the recent presentation on the dangers of poisonous snakes and how to recognize different types was very well received.

“It is very special to have moments like this for our students,” she said. “The students really enjoyed having Mr. Dagostino visit and are hoping he can come and do more classes in the future.”

Ferry said her favorite part of the day is first thing in the morning. “We gather each morning to begin our school day with Morning Prayer,” she said. “We do the Morning Offering, the Prayer to St. Kateri, students offer up prayers to loved ones and things happening in the world, we do the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag and end with the Prayer to St. Jude.”

St. Kateri Tekakwitha is the first Native American to be recognized as a saint by the Catholic church, canonized by Pope Benedict XVI on Oct. 21, 2012. She is the patroness of ecology and the environment, people in exile and Native Americans.

“Since we are a very small school, we are able to work one-on-one with our students and make sure they are all learning, which will help them be successful,” Ferry said. “An advantage for the students to have a Catholic-based education is that we teach our students that God loves us no matter what, and that we are never alone because God is always with us. We teach about loving God, others, and ourselves.”

Tickets for an opportunity drawing on Dec. 7 to win a 2023 RAV4 Hybrid XLE and support the annual Diocese of San Bernardino Bishop’s Golf Classic are currently available for purchase at $10 each. The school receives about $7.50 for every ticket sold and parents who sell tickets will get $3 towards their tuition for every ticket they sell. To purchase, contact Ferry at 951-380-6184.

The school hosts a Pancake Breakfast on the second Sunday of each month from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Kateri Center, 23600 Soboba Road, San Jacinto. The cost is $5 for pancakes, sausage, juice or coffee. For more information about St. Jude Mission School, please visit www.saintjudeschoolsob.wixsite.com/soboba or email saintjudeschool.soboba@gmail.com.

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