VHS Spanish department puts together Las Posadas event for the community

On Dec. 14, VHS’s Two Way Immersion program and Spanish department hosted a Las Posadas event. The celebration was held in the portables from 5:30 p.m to 8 p.m. 

Las Posadas is a Mexican tradition held over nine days, from Dec. 16 to Dec. 24, in which a group of people gather for a procession that goes caroling from house to house in search of refuge. Students and families put their own twist on this by caroling from classroom to classroom. 

This was VHS’s first year hosting this event. Spanish teacher Grace Ellberg said, “It was all Mr. Villalobos and Ms. Villagomez’s idea. This is actually my first posada event, so I owe it all to them. We meet everyday during break and lunch, and we chat. They came to me and they were like I think we should hold a posada event. There’s never been one at Ventura before, so we all just started to come up with ideas. Mr. Villalobos has a lot of connections, Ms. Villagomez is in a [dance] group, so it all came together pretty effortlessly.”

Spanish teacher Salvador Villalobos said, “I know [Las Posadas is] something that has been done at Anacapa Middle School and unfortunately it stopped for whatever reason. We decided to try to do it here with the new teachers we have here. We wanted to get new ideas and start it out, see what the turnout was, so that’s kind of what motivated us to try it out over here.” 

“The process, it was all kind of short notice. It took us maybe about three weeks to do it before Thanksgiving break. So the process of it was just having students [learn] what a posada is [and] sending it out to the staff as well so they could promote it to people in the community,” said Villalobos. 

The celebration included food sales from various VHS clubs, games, dancing, live music and a piñata contest. Different clubs such as MEChA and Latino Rights club were selling homemade food. Hot chocolate was being handed out for free, and tamales and arroz con leche were being sold by the clubs. Latino Rights Club President Ariel Sanchez ‘25 said, “Our club…and other clubs kind of decided what food we were going to bring. My club brought arroz con leche. [It was] $2 for a hefty cup.

Danza Mensajeros de Maria de Oxnard was the dance group that performed the traditional “Danza de Matachines” at the event. “Danza de Matachines” is a traditional dance that originated in Spain where they dance to the beat of drums. Villalobos said, “The [dance group] we got from one of our teachers, [Maribel Villagomez], who is in it. We asked them if they were willing to come out and dance for us. So all of this is basically like a donation type of thing.”

The event was open to the whole VHS student body, as well as any community members. Sanchez said, “My favorite part is that everyone’s family came and showed up. I feel like often, school events [are] just [attended] by students, but a lot of families came [to the event] which is really cool.”

“Hopefully, depending on what [Marissa] Rodriguez and admin says, if they liked it we are willing to work with them and do it again next year,” said Villalobos.