By Mike Hutchens, UC Schools Communications Director
Union City, Tenn.–There is a proper way to do everything.
Members of Laura Bright’s senior accounting class at Union City High School have incorporated tactics from Skills USA to learn valuable etiquette lessons for their future.
Bright enlisted UC Schools’ own Tammy Sparks — a veteran of catering and party-planning — to enlighten students about appropriate behavior in the business world last week.
Sparks stressed classy self-presentation — focusing on dress, punctuality, and table manners when meeting with prospective employers and/or clients in a business setting.
“Everything matters,” she told students. “Making a good first impression is priceless and often is the determining factor in getting an opportunity and not getting one.
“Be respectful. Turn your phone off. Make good eye contact and do everything you can to convince the other person or people in your party that you want the opportunity that is being presented.”
Sparks covered all things – from a firm handshake greeting to the correct usage of a proper table-setting. She gave tips on ordering, making small-talk, tipping and acceptable ways to end all formal gatherings.
The nine-person group immediately got the opportunity to put the lecture to use as they enjoyed a formal sit-down luncheon Friday at Bell’s Kitchen, prepared by chef Wyatt Tanner.
“Proper etiquette will never go out of style,” Bright said. “This is something we’ve done for several years in the past and I do believe it’s important that we give our students all the tools they’ll need to be successful and present themselves in the best possible light.
“I thought they were attentive and asked good questions of Mrs. Sparks. And it was neat to see them doing many of the things she’d talked about when we had the formal luncheon afterward.”