4-H Etiquette is Edible

Picking your nose and teeth ended up on the not to do manners list while shaking hands and making eye contact are on the what to do manners list. That is how we started day two of 4-H Etiquette Day camp as our youth made lists of what you should and should not do in any setting. The thing to remember about etiquette is that they are considered social behavior rules, those things that guide us in polite company. It is not a list to be memorized, but rules that you live by. For those that can't remember the rules the main one is the golden rule, treat others as you want to be treated, and you will probably be able to handle any situation correctly.

Our youth then split up into groups and spent 15 minutes at 5 different stations learning what we needed to know for the event that evening. Aggie Rogers, 4-H Program Associate, went over their very special etiquette books that they will take home with them. She also played an overall manners board game with each group testing their knowledge of things like Thank You notes, table manners, and how to dress for success. Missy McLean 4--H volunteer, and Kerrie Roach, Extension Horticulture Agent, had the opportunity to practice bad manners and let the youth critique them. Mande Swisher, Extension Tourism Agent worked with them at a round table to understand the pitfalls of different types of table settings and how to know which setting is yours. She also talked with them about napkin etiquette and how to handle the situation when someone accidentally takes pieces of your table setting. Christy Strickland, Family and Consumer Sciences Agent, took time to help the youth learn how to set a table. Complete with plates, glasses, and silverware they youth had the opportunity to practice table settings and ask questions about what is what and learn the tricks to remember what to use when. Shea Ann DeJarnette, 4-H Extension Agent, showed the youth how to use the table silverware and helped them answer questions for example why do you place a knife behind a fork when you are cutting your meat, and why do you set your fork down between bites, not to mention the every popular difference between a steak knife, dinner knife and butter knife questions.

Then it was time for real life practice. Our youth were split up into groups of three and set a table for five. Then our adults came as guests and our youth learned how to host a dinner. Catered by TLC catering, the groups started with salad and moved on to dinner and then dessert. Joining us for dinner was Missy McLean, Rhonda Faircloth, Joyce and Charles Russ, and of course the rest of our trainers. The youth were particularly gracefully during dinner and did they best to keep the conversation going with their adults.

At the end of the evening it was time to say goodbye. Our youth all said they gained new skills and felt more comfortable interacting with adults. Our adults said they were all pleased with the manners the youth demonstrated and really enjoyed the evening. As a matter of fact each of them asked when we could do it again.

Congratulations to our youth for a job well done and we want to encourage you to keep practicing your etiquette skills at home and school, it can only help you.