Rite of passage: East High celebrates Quincea ±era

Staff report

youngstown

East High School had its fourth annual Quincea ±era Ball or Fiesta de Quince A ±os, sponsored by its Spanish Club.

Fiesta de Quince A ±os, or la fiesta Quincea ±era is a rite of passage for 15- year-old Latina girls. The Quincea ±era is a community and family celebration full of tradition and meaning when a young girl is escorted into womanhood by her family and the community can witness it.

Many American girls have combined the American concept of Sweet 16 with what would have been their Quincea ±era. It became popular in the U.S. in the 1930s and continues today.

The welcome of this celebration was directed by Holly Seimetz, East principal. Barraya Hickson and Doniece Fletcher, president and secretary of the Spanish Club, were the mistresses of ceremony.

JROTC students performed a bridge, where the court of the Quincea ±era walked through as they were announced.

The members of the court of the Quincea ±era were Vianessa Rosario, Luis Rosario, Patricia Sharp, Nicholas Kirkland, Denesha McGee, Joshua Moore, Krystal Brown, Steven Russ, Halleena Winphrie, Joseph Hernandez, Shannon Sharp, Jonathan Borrero, Kerrisha Lebert, Devontae Fleetion, Keaira McKeithen, Elliot Graham, Lisiyaidilly Flores, Laquail Brooks, Michelle Lozada, Miguel Cintron, Miesha Starkey, Glen Gabriel, Nayomy Reyes and Joshua Laboy.

Michelle Lozada was crowned by her godmother. Miesha Starkey had the changing of shoes by her brother Lavante Starkey. Nayomi Reyes gave her last doll away to her little sister. After that, the three main girls danced with their fathers. The court danced a waltz, and a merengue.

At the end, before cutting the cake, the girls had a candle ceremony, in which they asked an important person in their lives to come and light a candle with them. This was an emotional moment for the girls. A buffet was served that included hispanic dishes, and everybody enjoyed the party dancing and sharing.

The changing of shoes marks the transition of a child to a young woman. During the ceremony, the girl wears flat shoes, which symbolizes a child, then at the reception the father or older brother changes the shoes to heels, signifying the transition to womanhood.

The tiara denotes a “princess” before God and the world.