Weddings and quinceañeras during school?  Most people love parties but school is for learning right? Mrs. Rainey’s Spanish III students are learning new vocabulary and Spanish culture through these “fiestas.”

Everybody knows what a wedding is but they might not understand what a quinceañera celebrates.  A quince celebrates a girl’s 15th birthday.  It symbolizes a girls coming of age.  She was 14, a girl, and the turning of 15 represents her becoming a woman.  During the party, the girl will switch from a flat shoe to a high heel, receive her last doll,  and at some parties the girl will even have 15 cakes.

“A lot of people don’t know about the cultural part of quinceañeras,” said Spanish teacher Mrs. Ellen Rainey. “This helps to create more of a deeper learning.”

Each Spanish III class split into groups to plan a quinceañera, a wedding, and a honeymoon.

Junior Starr Arellano was the bride of one of the weddings for her class.

“It was surprisingly real,” said Arellano, “As the fake bride, it was really fun too.”

Along with dressing for the occasion, each student was required to participate in bringing either food, music, or decorations.  The weddings and quinces were held at the school in the dome room on April 11th and 12th.

“It was definitely a different experience,” said Arellano, “For my wedding I’m most certainly changing a few things.”