Tuesday, August 27, 2013

Quince Project Helps Quince Dreams Come True

Latinas go through a very special coming of age celebration that is a compilation of significant events. The celebration consists of a grand mass, elegant attire, and an elaborate fiesta. But what is most important is the appreciation of the life the girls have had and will aspire to experience. The Quince Project decided to help celebrate the coming of age for three girls who learned about their heritage and the cultural significance of a quinceañera, while working together to develop organizational and leadership skills. We call it, The Quince Project, and we’re planning on keeping this project going for years to come. The mission of The Quince Project is to provide young Latinas with the tools they need to succeed as young adults. Our objective is to encourage young Latinas to become leaders in their communities, to foster cultural pride, to pursue higher education, to build life skills, to discover creative ways to express themselves and to develop a strong voice. There were three girls, Danielle …. Esmeralda … and Shaye …., who went through a specific application process where girls were selected based on their leadership, volunteer and academic experience. More specifically, a spot was given to girls who have overcome a substantial challenge in their life or who have a financial hardship.


I had the pleasure of interviewing Danielle and Esmeralda as they were getting ready for their big day. The girls came about the project through friends and family and were encouraged to apply. The girls learned how hard work, management organization and fun helped create a beautiful night for their big day. They both loved fundraising and working together, Danielle stated, “choosing the dress and shoes, and fundraising at Applebee's” was her favorite part about participating. We fundraised through various organizations, Peter Piper, Candle sales, and a pancake breakfast at Applebee’s which was the most hands on fun we had saving up for the big day. 


Through their quinceañera planning and journey, the girls did a little soul searching and Esmeralda noted the importance of “transitioning from a young girl to a young adult.” The memories made and treasured from a quinceañera experience are well worth the hard-work and time. These memories were also created through traditions that helped the girls grow and feel closer to their culture.  A quinceañera maintains worthwhile traditions that inhibit coming of age appreciations. There is the lighting of the candles where each spark signifies a person who means something special during every year of her life; the changing of little girls shoes to a more womanly pair to express growing up into a mature woman; and there’s also the passing of the doll, where the quinceañera passes on her favorite doll to another young lady who will soon be on her way to maturity.

The girls commented on what growing into a young woman and having a quince all really means, Danielle stated, “(it means) to turn to womanhood and be more mature, and being a role model to other girls.”





Esmeralda said, “It’s not just about more liberty, but having more responsibility for yourself and others." The girls reflected on their journey that created their quinceañera experience and understood that the planning and learning was all worthwhile, Esmeralda stated, “since we are young Latinas in comes with who we are.”  She added, "be grateful, because they’re (quinces) expensive.”

The girls also gave advice for families getting ready to have a quince in the near future and both decided that planning ahead is the key effort to attaining a beautiful experience. If anything, the girls wanted more time to plan, organize, and be involved in the process. The girls’ gave advice to all those future quinceañeras, Danielle stated, “Take advantage of every moment.” 

Overall, the Quince Project experience was absolutely amazing to say the least. All the help and efforts were done by the amazing  volunteers who make up he quince project planning team. There were months of planning, hard work, acting, loving, appreciation, and fun that created an amazing experience for everyone involved. All three girls were so very appreciative, and Esmeralda spoke for all three when she so lovingly stated, “Thank you for making a dream come true and all the hard work you do for nothing in return but to make us smile and have a great day.”

Monday, August 12, 2013

Tips for a Stress-free Quince

By Rachel Jackson

Adding “plan my quinceañera” to a to-do list as a 15-year-old right along with “study for chemistry” and “get a driving permit” might be a little overwhelming.  From the months of planning to day-of details, here are some tips to make your day a stress-free and spectacular affair.


Time flies: start planning early

Across the board, the number one piece of advice to future Quinceañeras is to start planning early. According to Isabella Wall, the self-proclaimed “Fairy Godmother to Quinceañeras,” planning should start up to a year before the big event.  “Booking the venue a year in advanced really helped reduce our stress” says Carmen Valles, a mom who helped her daughter, Crystal Valles, plan her quinceañera back in 2006. Giving yourself at least six months in advance to get invitations, food, decorations, and choreography ready will do wonders to reduce your stress level.


Help is here! Involve family and friends in planning

"I delegated the tasks," says Carmen on ways she asked for help. “My sister did the decorations, my sister-in-law did the centerpieces, and I made the cake." Getting family and friends involved in the planning is a great way to make memories, save money, and have the most important people in your life put their fingerprints on your quinceañera.


Go green to save green: make easy, do-it-yourself decorations

Some families hire event planners to handle all the dirty details from food to decorations. For economical Quinceañeras interested in a fantastic day without breaking the bank, DIY is for you! Websites like pinterest.com have imaginative decoration ideas that can easily be adapted to your quince theme. Carmen and Crystal, one dynamic mother-daughter quince planning team, handmade their centerpieces out of clay.  Though Carmen said it took some time, the decorations looked great and their family saved money.


Just ask: give people the opportunity to help you

Crystal advises future Quinceañeras to practice their choreography and grand entrance in the venue the night before the reception to calm nerves and get the court comfortable in the space. Though this might be hard to do, don’t be afraid to ask the venue managers if you can use the space to practice for an hour anytime the week before the party. The same goes for invitations, food, and cakes – don’t be afraid to ask for discounts, special offers, and specific designs. The worst they can say is no, so ask away!


Honesty is the best policy: speak your mind

The best way to keep stress under control is to be honest about what you want.  Of any day, this is the day to wear what you want, eat what you want, and look the way you want.  Be clear and kind when you give your opinion and don’t forget to remind the people helping you, from the baker to the florist, how thankful you are for their time and help!


Hasta luego ego: don’t let pride ruin your big day!

Even though your quinceañera is all about celebrating you, don’t let your ego cause unneeded stress. Sometimes little things, like whether the appetizers should be salmon or shrimp, don’t matter in the long run. Choose your battles and embrace flexibility.


Paparazzi, paparazzi: take more pictures than you think you should

Quince fun never has to end thanks to pictures and video, but not taking enough can cause after-quince stress.  “I regret not asking more people to take pictures at my quinceañera,” says Crystal.  Often Quinceañeras take professional photos before the event and hire photographers to take candid shots during the reception.  Crystal advises Quinceañeras to enlist friends and family to take pictures throughout the night in addition to the professional shots. Crystal says, the more pictures the better.


Family first: make time for the people you care about most

The most stressful part of a quinceañera can be the reception, when every cousin is trying to hug you and every aunt wants ten pictures with you. Crystal says that the most exhausting part of her quince was going back and forth saying hi to every guest and every family member. Remember that family, and the friends that are basically family, are the people that make this celebration possible and memorable, so expect to spend a big chunk of time with them.


Keep calm and quince on – even if everything seems like its going wrong

Whenever you find yourself stressed and with too many things on your 15-year-old plate, take a deep breath and ask for help.  Remember that what makes a quinceañera perfect are not the flowers or the chair decorations but spending time with people that have watched you grow-up and want to celebrate 15 beautiful years with you. It might be cheesy, but if you remember to be thankful and to enjoy the process, you will have a stress-free quinceañera fit for the history books.