The Etiquette program has now been facilitated for four years. This year the program introduced a personal responsibility component as part of the curriculum. All children/youth were introduced to social etiquette, the importance of first impression, and practicing a confident handshake. The program was also gender specific in that they were introduced to etiquette components specific to their gender and age.
The goal of providing an Etiquette course is to encourage self-confidence and introduce each participant to specific skills of conversation in a public setting, table manners, hosting a dinner party, calculating a tip at a restaurant and public presentation of oneself in a professional and responsible environment.
The objectives of Etiquette are as follows:
- Able to start good conversations and maintain them
- Recognize formal and informal table settings
- Demonstrate knowledge of diverse table manners
- Articulate a speech when making a toast at a dinner party
- Learn components of being a good host at a dinner party
- Proper handshake and eye contact
- How to tie a necktie (Boys and Girls)
- How to compliment wait staff and restaurant manager
- Proper dating etiquette
- Personal responsibility
Participants practice table manners and greeting guests through specific mock and dating protocol activities with the guidance of the etiquette instructor. Each participant receives individual constructive critiques during the class that include personal responsibility. Toward the end of the instruction, each group is given multiple opportunities to attend local restaurants where they practiced table manners and general calculations for determining the tip for wait staff. Students are asked to practice the listed objectives at the restaurant and at home.
