18.8% of all Vanceburg homes are considered to be in poverty. This is well above the national rate of 15.1%. In an area that is starved for jobs it can be difficult to compete with others for desirable positions when jobs do become available.

In an effort to help prepare the future generation of Lewis Countians for success Lewis County Family and Consumer Sciences worked with fourth grade teachers at Central Elementary School to develop a series of classes covering etiquette, how to write a resume, and business dress. Soft skills had also been identified as an area of concern at the Fall Lewis County Extension Council meeting so it was clear that this was an area of concern for many individuals in the county.

Students in each of the classes were able to participate in hands on activities covering how to properly navigating complex table settings, how to write their own resumes, and even a workshop identifying appropriate clothing for interviews and the workplace. Many students verbally expressed that they learned a lot from the courses and that these lesson would help them in the future.

At the conclusion of the series all fourth graders at Central Elementary traveled by bus to Second Street Diners reception room, a local venue in Vanceburg, where they had a plated meal, dressed nice, and practiced all the skills they had learned over the past month. Certificates were awarded to each student to celebrate their success.

Teaching Tool Developed for the Meal Manners Lesson