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Scrapbook PageQuinceañera
by Deborah Wilson
Stafford High School – Stafford Springs, CT
While viewing the video, “Sweet Sixteen” as part of our culture curriculum for chapter 6, Bienvenidos, Spanish I students requested to plan a quinceañera. With their enthusiastic participation and initiative, groups were formed to plan refreshments, music, guest lists, outfits, as well as invitations and testimonials, both in Spanish.
We planned the date for February 14, 2005, to coordinate with the classroom decorations of red, pink and white hearts. Two 14-year-old freshman girls volunteered to be the celebrants – complete with tiaras. Older students took the roles of parents, godparents, and quinceañera planner and photographer. Everyone participated to make this a very special class event.
As this class meets at 8:30 A.M., our quinceañera planner coordinated students bringing foods such as bagel bites, salsa and chips, 3-layer bean dip, and homemade chocolate chip cookies. Two sheet cakes were made and decorated – one for each girl. Students were responsible for heating the foods, setting the tables, and serving. My contributions were pink and white tablecloths and a punch bowl for the “champagne” punch.
As our classroom has a partial platform, the program began there with testimonials by relatives. After much applause, the girls themselves spoke about family and thanked everyone for coming. As a token of appreciation, they passed out candies to each guest. The cake cutting followed with photographs taken by the photographer. Then the music was put on and everyone socialized while enjoying the refreshments. The theme for the day was appreciation for family and friends and bearing witness to an event in which a girl becomes a young woman, la Quinceañera.