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 Vallarta Living | December 2007 
Becas Throws a Posada Party for Students
 Peter Gray - PVNN
| | The party began with the handing out of 73 diplomas to the outstanding students who had accomplished at least a 9.5 grade average in the past year. | 
| | Students have a go at the Piñatas, whacking them with sticks to release the candies hidden inside. |
Every Christmas, Becas Vallarta A.C. traditionally hosts an event for the current crop of students who are receiving scholarships grants from them. Although it has been called the Christmas posada for many years, the truth is there was not all that Christmassy about them, nor was it a "Posada" in the traditional Mexican fashion. This year, under the leadership of Becas' President Mariel Fregoso, all that changed.
Invitations went out to the 185 students that qualified to attend. As usual, the party began with the handing out of 73 diplomas to the outstanding students who had accomplished at least a 9.5 grade average in the past year.
Then came the singing of the traditional posada songs, splendidly led by Mariel Fregoso, working the microphone like a professional as she moved around the seated semi-circle of students. Not all the Becas committee could keep up with the words, but if not, they used body language to prove they were with it in spirit.
After the singing, the action moved to the custom of breaking piñatas by whacking them with sticks to release the candies hidden inside. Not easy to do when blindfolded and the piñata is continually on the move along a suspended rope. But the seven piñatas were dealt with one by one in good time.
Over the past weeks, Becas members and students had been selling raffle tickets for cash prizes. Now came the draw for the winners and, happily enough, both turned out to be scholarship students. The $5000 peso prize went to Moses Juarez who attends the ETI. (actually, his sister Yasmin Juarez Sanchez was holding the winning ticket.) The second prize, worth $3000 pesos, went to Ricardo Gonzalez Rivera, who is in his first semester at Regional Puerto Vallarta. Again, it was his mother, Maria Riviera Palma, who handed in the winning ticket.
Then it was time to eat. The main item on the menu, replacing the "gringo" sandwiches of former years, were chicken-filled tamales, specially ordered from Sergio Valle, whose "Mama Petris" varieties of tamales are the best in town. It was noticeable that, when Mariel Fregoso announced there would be tamales served this year, there was a loud murmur of appreciation from the students. Each of them also received a bag containing candy, nuts and cookies. To wash things down, Coca Cola's gift of their Fresca brand was served.
The final touch was the handing out of a furry toy to each student as a memento to take away.
These events take a lot of preparation and hard work on the day. The efforts of many Becas members for helping this turn out to be such a successful day is much appreciated.
Many of the students do not get much in the way of recognition in their lives, so this annual event has a meaningful place in the year, along with the financial and counseling support that Becas provides throughout the year to all these smart but economically deprived children. |
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