By ROBIN SHANNON

L’Observateur

RESERVE – With tables decked out in white tablecloths, flowers, candles and low lighting, a classroom at the St. John the Baptist Parish Alternative School was transformed Monday into a restaurant where students served out spaghetti and meatball lunches to faculty and fellow students.

While dishing out the lunches, which included salad, dessert and iced tea, the students implemented proper etiquette they learned during behavior, manners and etiquette counseling sessions at the school.

“We all thought it was a unique way to show off what we have been taught over the last few months of instruction,” said student Devonta Morris, 18, who served as chef for the activity. “It is showing us how to appreciate others and respect the people around us.

Five of the 17 students who have been sent to the St. John Alternative School to cope with academic or behavioral problems participated in the activity, which was dubbed “Etiquette Restaurant.” The lunch was the culmination of weekly counseling sessions with school social worker Ellen Grant.

“I like to use creative and unorthodox methods to teach social work,” Grant said. “Kids get tired of hearing ‘don’t do this’ or don’t do that.’ This is a more positive way to reinforce these values.”

Grant explained that students attending the Reserve school receive 90 days of instruction and then must meet certain criteria in order to return to their home schools in the system. Grant said she also provides weekly group counseling sessions for 45 minutes once a week.

“The sessions start with behavior and conduct and at that point we begin a discussion on proper etiquette,” Grant said. “An activity like this pieces everything together and lets them show what they learned.”

Grant said the sessions also work on self-esteem, bullying, patience and anger issues the students may have.

“They are learning job skills and building character all while working as a team,” said Paul Curtis, lead academic specialist at the school. “It shows that they can work together with different age groups and get a job done right.”

Principal Shelton Smith, one of the diners at the event, was pleased by what he saw and happy to see the students interacting with adults and other students in a cordial and proper fashion.

“They need this hands-on experience to show that they can succeed if they try hard enough to do it,” Smith said. “I look at these students and I see great progress in a short period. They are completely different from when they cam into the school.”

The students participating seemed to share that sentiment.

“We are showing our teachers that we can make a difference,” said Raisha Diggs, 15, an eighth grade student at the Alternative Center. “Ms. Grant has taught us kindness and respect. Now we can go back to our regular schools and do well again.”