[caption id="attachment_5516" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Diana Altamirano and her escorts at her Quinceanera."]<a href="http://www.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/Diana-Altamirano-and-her-escorts-at-her-Quinceanera1.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-5516" title="Diana Altamirano and her escorts at her Quinceanera1" src="http://www.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/Diana-Altamirano-and-her-escorts-at-her-Quinceanera1-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a>[/caption]

By Lanier Laney

In Mexico, Spain and South America, the most prominent Hispanic families hold a Quinceañera celebration for their daughters when they turn 15. It’s the equivalent of American debutante parties where the daughters are “introduced” to society. I was lucky to attend the Quinceañera of the beautiful and elegant Diana Altamirano, daughter of Mario Alonzo and Yadira Altamirano of Beaufort. The religious part of the ceremony was held at St. Peter’s Catholic Church and was accompanied by lovely music and a sermon by the priest who welcomed her into this new chapter of her adult life.  Afterwards, there was a wonderful dinner and dance held in her honor attended by her many well wishers, relatives and friends at Penn Center on St. Helena Island.