More than a party

How Quinceañeras can help girls to grow up

by Rebeca Descalzo

For Hispanics, the celebration of a quinceañera is a cherished rite of passage, marking a girl’s transition from a child to a young woman. It is a traditional celebration but also a celebration of faith and of family values.

Unfortunately, this Hispanic tradition, like so many others in contact with popular culture and the media, is losing a bit of its family value and  faith elements to become too similar to a “Sweet Sixteen.” Sometimes it is just a huge party at a great expense for the family. It could even give the young person the wrong message: You have reached adulthood, and you are ready for sexual relationships.

At the Friends First organization, the Quinceañera Program is teaching Hispanic girls that turning 15 is more than just having a party and material gifts; it is an important step toward becoming an adult with strong values and morals. It is an abstinence-education program designed for Hispanic girls ages 11 to 15, their families, and friends. The program provides teen girls with the opportunity to explore character development, body image, love, relationships, peer pressure, communication with parents and peers, the consequences of early sexual involvement, and the benefits of abstinence.

At a time when Hispanic girls are reported to have the highest teen pregnancy rate of any major ethnic group in the nation and face an even higher risk of being infected with sexually transmitted diseases, the abstinence program at Friends First is certainly appreciated and welcomed by parents.

The Quinceañera Program also features a community service project to encourage girls to begin thinking about their role in the community and ends with a graduation Mass celebrating their commitment to abstinence. Parents also participate in the program and learn how to communicate better with their daughters on tough topics such as sex. The program, which is offered in English and Spanish, is not only a fun and educational activity for young girls: 98 percent of the 2006 participants pledged upon completing it to abstain from sex until marriage.

Training and easy-to-use bilingual materials are available for those interested in conducting this program in their parish or community. Workshops are also held to prepare priests and laypeople to implement character and purity education programs. For more information on Friends First, visit friendsfirst.org.