Soboba Band of Luiseño Indians
Special to Valley News
Like many area high schools, senior projects are a requirement of graduation at Noli Indian School on the Soboba Reservation. The multi-step process, which starts during the second week of the school year, is overseen by English teacher Jacquelin Phillips.
Students must pass all three components to graduate from Noli School. These include an essay, a slideshow and a presentation in front of an impartial panel. The final component took place on April 21 when five community members took time out of their busy schedules to help with the annual project. They were asked to interact with the speakers by asking questions relating to their topic and then scoring their presentation on a rubric. Each senior was judged on how well prepared they were, if they made good eye contact with the audience, whether they utilized props in a meaningful way, and other criteria.
Phillips gives seniors a checklist that involves about a dozen turn-in dates, which consist of a grade that will impact their final essay grade. If they miss a check-in, it’s two points off, but if they turn it in late, it’s only one point off. The deadline dates are for things such as the topic, resources, outline, and their rough draft.
“Students can choose any topic, but I mostly look for school appropriateness,” she said. “I have never denied a senior topic yet.”
Phillips has been at Noli Indian School for the past 13 years, teaching a financial class in addition to 12th-grade English and being a reading specialist for the middle and high school students.
“Senior Presentations began before I started at Noli,” she said. “I feel students should leave high school with basic skills, which are necessary in this world. Students will be able to write an essay in MLA format, produce a technology component, and be able to present to an unknown panel. I truly hope students learn and understand the importance of senior projects—preparing them for the future, whether in the workforce or with their children.”
The students are given multiple opportunities to present in front of classmates and other grades, in preparation for their final presentation, which should be at least 30 minutes in length. In addition, they are encouraged to present in front of family members. It was evident that the seniors took advantage of those opportunities when they entered the multipurpose room to share their projects.
The students shook hands as they introduced themselves to each of the panelists, which included Michelle Steffani, Camilo De La Cueva, Brian Eddy, and Angel Bill.
Babe Briones did his project on the seizure condition known as epilepsy. He described the different types of seizures and who can be affected by the disorder. He outlined the treatment and what can be done to help prevent seizures. He ended his presentation by sharing that a close family member was diagnosed with epilepsy and the family learned how to offer care when and if needed. He gave each attendee a purple ribbon, the symbol used to raise awareness about epilepsy.
Arionna Ward presented on “Keeping Traditions in the Modern World” while wearing a traditional necklace that was gifted to her and a bird skirt she made. She shared Cahuilla traditions and provided a history of her people which includes the mountain, desert and the Pass Cahuilla who have different versions of bird songs. Her props included a gourd rattle used by bird singers and a sage bundle for each panelist to take home. She shared that traditions have been passed down orally through generations. “I learned a lot during my research, but I know I still have a lot to learn,” Arionna said.
Daigan Cyhan focused his project on “Traditional Hand Games of Southern California.” He enjoys Peon the most, but also shared details about sticks and dice games that are commonly played. After explaining how each game is played, he allowed the panelists to play the latter games to get an idea of how the scoring is done. He shared how the pieces are made for the games and brought samples of some of the natural raw materials (such as black willow branches), which gave a perspective of the craftsmanship that goes into creating the game pieces.
Johnny Gutierrez has had a long fascination with World War I and gave his presentation on “The People’s War.” He was dressed in an authentic Pioneer uniform. He outlined the history of the war that was fought from 1914-1918 and cost 10 million lives. He shared personal accounts from soldiers who fought in the war that were written in diaries and letters. Gutierrez had many pieces of attire and equipment and demonstrated how and when they were used. When asked, he said the most authentic motion picture on WWI is the original “All Quiet on the Western Front” from 1930. He said what he learned working on the project is “how insane humanity can be.”
Joseph Morsa is passionate about Motocross and came in full gear with his Yamaha 250 bike parked next to him as he gave his presentation. He has been enjoying riding dirt bikes his whole life for fun, and his entire family loves riding. His presentation was on the sport of motocross, which began in 1909 by the Auto Cycle Club when they hosted quarterly trials. Joseph talked about the importance of the bike’s maintenance and how he enjoys the freedom he feels when he rides. “I have been inspired by many riders, especially Ricky Carmichael, whose contributions to professional motocross and stock car racing have made a great impact in both sports.”
Attentive and inquisitive, the panelists engaged with the seniors throughout the morning sessions. Steffani was participating for the third year and said that every time she learns something new. Bill, also there for the third time, said he enjoys the opportunity to be a mentor in a sense, interacting positively with the students. De La Cueva was helping out for the second time and said he loves seeing the young people talk because the skill of public speaking is so difficult to master, and he loves to learn. Eddy, also there for the second year, said he enjoys hearing some of the things kids are passionate about.
“I was very proud of my seniors this year,” Phillips said. “They were prepared and had awesome props. I know they’ll be ready for the world awaiting them.”
