Prior to Grandparents Day being acknowledged across the nation on Sept. 8, teachers and staff at Soboba Tribal Preschool welcomed families to the Soboba Sports Complex on Friday, Sept. 6 to celebrate. The gymnasium was filled with lots of yellow and orange balloons and signs declaring “You Are My Sunshine” to the invited guests.
Preschool Administrator Lenora “Ponie” Mojado said the event was an opportunity to thank everyone for their participation in activities at the preschool.
The children had made crafts for their loved ones including coloring flowers that were laminated with the following verse on the reverse side: “Grandparents, grandparents make us laugh, love to play, when we get together, we smile all day.” A photograph tag was attached to a chain to be worn as a bracelet or necklace and other handmade trinkets were gifted to each grandparent, great grandparent and even a few great-great grandparents who were there.
Marian Chacon has five grandchildren, 12 great grandchildren and one great-great grandchild. She has two great-grandsons attending the preschool this year; kindergartner Anthony Ortega, 4, and Brian Chacon III, who is in pre-K. Chacon was asked to give an opening prayer at the start of the event in which she thanked the Lord for a beautiful day where everyone could come together and be respectful and kind to one another. She asked for a blessing on all who were present as well as the food they were about to eat.
Guests were treated to a buffet brunch that included eggs, hash, chicken, potatoes, rolls, fresh fruit and a dessert table full of sweets.
Dondi Silvas has two grandsons plus a granddaughter, Loovi Burton, who is in kindergarten. She was at the event with her mother Yvonne Silvas, grandson Jovi, and Loovi’s other grandmother, Stacy Perkins. Isaiah and Maria Vivanco have a total of nine grandchildren and three of them, Jericho Vivanco, Kuyvaxish Mendez and Kwiinamush Maxcy, currently attend the preschool.
“It’s nice to see everybody here and to see the kids so happy; it’s good that the preschool brings everybody together to have a nice day,” said Johnna Valdez, who has three grandchildren who are students there. “I also like that they’re with their cousins while at school.”
Kindergartner Palki Herrera has attended the school since she was two years old. She was at the event with her grandmothers, Adonna Salgado and Monica Herrera.
“I went to the reservation preschool when I was young,” said Herrera, whose grandson Gabriel graduated from the kindergarten class in June. “The kids have good relationships with the teachers, and they always do a lot of fun stuff alongside the set curriculum.”
Salgado’s daughter Alylah, now 10, attended the Soboba Tribal Preschool and she felt it really prepared her well for public school. “It gave her a good foot forward,” she said.
Both women agreed that all their kids always make really cute things to take home, with this day’s crafty gifts being no exception. “I have all their projects hanging in the hallway of their play area,” Salgado said.
Photos courtesy of the Soboba Band of Luiseño Indians
