WACO, Texas (KWTX) – Midway High School’s Career Prep program hosted its inaugural Business Etiquette Luncheon on Friday, bringing together students and local business leaders for an interactive three-course meal designed to build workplace readiness and professional communication skills.
The event featured guided instruction from Mayor Amine Qourzal of Woodway, who walked students through the fundamentals of formal dining, table placement settings, and professional conversation in a business setting.
“It’s an opportunity to teach our kids very useful skills for use in their career, in their professional lives, scholarship banquets,” Qourzal said. “It’s a way to learn how to be in a formal setting, act professionally, and really put their best foot forward.”
From Outside In: Learning the Basics
For many students attending their first formal dinner, the experience proved both eye-opening and practical. The luncheon covered essential etiquette topics, including proper utensil usage, plate placement, and conversation techniques.
“Start from the outside, move in,” Qourzal advised attendees. “The reason there’s so much out there is to avoid having to replace utensils as the courses go on.”
The lesson extended beyond traditional silverware. Students learned unexpected dining wisdom, such as avoiding cherry tomatoes and other foods prone to splattering—details that could prevent embarrassing mishaps in professional settings.
“I love them, but we’re removing any opportunity for a disaster at the table” Qourzal said. “Not just cherry tomatoes, but pasta, burgers, pizza, anything that could potentially create an embarrassing situation, we want to remove those from the equation”
Hands-On Learning with Table Hosts
Local business leaders served as table hosts, modeling proper etiquette and facilitating professional conversations with students throughout the meal. This one-on-one mentoring component proved valuable for attendees seeking real-world workplace exposure.
Vala Jenkins, a Career Prep senior at Midway High School, noted the difference between classroom instruction and in-person guidance. “We have the presenter, which is the mayor of Woodway, presenting every step of the way what we need to be doing. Our table host is kind of telling us, conversation-wise, the things that we should be talking about and the way that we should be acting,” Jenkins said.
Jenkins, who previously attended an FFA formal dinner without preparation, found the step-by-step instruction reassuring. “I only had one other thing like this, and I did not know what I was doing. It was very uncomfortable,” she explained. “This time, we’re walking through every step of the process. We’re learning what fork to use for salad, which I didn’t know there was a difference until just now.”
Building Skills for the Future
The Career Prep program, which offers students flexible scheduling during off-periods or two-hour blocks based on work hours, focuses on equipping students with professional competencies beyond traditional academics.
For Jenkins and her peers, the luncheon represents part of a comprehensive approach to career preparation that includes resume building and networking with established professionals.
“Doing things like that in Midway is just amazing because I’m surrounded with networking people with people that I already know, kind of. But also I’m able to branch out and kind of grow in that sense and connect my job to their job,” Jenkins said. “And then see what we can take from our high school point to our college and beyond that, to our professional careers.”
The experience also exposed students to diverse perspectives on workplace professionalism. Several students noted sitting with school board members and business executives, providing glimpses into local leadership.
“It kind of gives you an invitation to look at the kind of professional world and kind of his perspective on what we’re doing instead of our perspective on what he’s doing. So, it’s kind of interesting to look at a different point of view,” Jenkins said.
Mayor Qourzal’s Simple Advice
When asked to distill formal dining etiquette into its simplest form, Qourzal emphasized mindset over perfection.
“Remember your manners, follow your host’s lead, and engage in positive, encouraging, very intentional conversation with your host,” Qourzal said. “Take it slow, and it’ll be just fine. Don’t worry too much about getting everything perfect. Enjoy being there and engaging with the people at your table. That’s the main reason that we do this.”
The luncheon marks a significant addition to Midway’s career development programming, providing students with practical skills and professional connections as they prepare for college and beyond.
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