Mid-Prairie hosts etiquette luncheon

Nearly 100 eighth-graders paid a visit to Wellman last week, joined by a variety of community members for a formal, etiquette-focused luncheon hosted by Mid-Prairie High School students.

“Back in 2014, the Mid-Prairie community passed a bond, and part of that bond was an industrial culinary lab … and we’ve used it, don’t get me wrong, but not to its full abilities,” Middle School Assistant Principal Nathan Carlson said. “So the culinary 2 class has prepared a four-course meal, the FCCLA … they’re going to be our servers, and the housing and interior design course designed the centerpieces and table settings and things like that. It’s been a culmination of a lot of people.”

Carlson said the eighth-graders had spent the week before learning how etiquette skills at its advisory period every day.

“We talked about how to traditionally pass a roll, passing the salad, and how to signal what your plate looks like when your done, traditional things like that,” Carlson said. “It’s a great experience for everybody.”

While the event was certainly unusual, Carlson said he was proud of the education it provided.

“I’ve sat with people that didn’t know what spoon to eat with or didn’t know where the napkin went,” he said. “Our goal is to prepare kids not only academically, but for everything. This is just one more thing we can prepare them for. When they leave this building and they go to a formal business dinner, they know which fork to use, which spoon to use … what to talk about at the dinner table.”

High School Culinary Teacher Glenda Seward said the event was an educational benefit for the hosting students as well.

“My culinary 2 students, two of them are headed for culinary school, it’ll be an opportunity for them to really do something of a bigger scale,” she said. “We learn different skills and techniques, but putting it in practice, on a time basis for other people, you can’t compare to anything else in the classroom.”

Students said they felt the same way.

“It’s an example of the real world, like what really happens at restaurants, things like that,” said Landry Gingerich a member of Mid-Prairie’s Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) chapter.

Madelyn Bender, another FCCLA member, agreed.

“I like seeing the things we learn in class be put to use and see them actually happen,” she said. “Our motto for FCCLA is wanting to help families and our community. This is our community, and we’re helping them prepare for their future.”

For others, the luncheon was just plain fun.

“I like getting the chance to have an excuse to dress up nice, and have nice food,” middle school student Harper Pacha said. “It’s a chance to talk with the people that I don’t normally talk to.”

Comments: Kalen.McCain@southeastiowaunion.com