And, how are they able to achieve this? Through the implementation of a Chess Camp at the Beetham Gardens Police Youth Club. The holiday camp is in its tenth year running and is part and parcel of a Crime Prevention Strategy co-ordinated by retired Police Inspector Sheila Prince.

About 33 children enrolled in this year’s programme — “Investing in intelligence, creating critical thinkers,” which began last week Monday. They are being taught to play chess, and table etiquette, including how to set a table and play music instruments.

The camp’s co-ordinator Prince said the chess camp is geared towards raising the standard of the children who live in Beetham, which is deemed a “hot spot” area and also carries a “certain stigma.” “I am trying to make a difference. Normally there would be sports camp, anger management, conflict resolution but these children deserve more than that, they need to be trained in critical thinking, solutions to problem, meditating and making good judgement.

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One may wonder how to connect a children's cooking and etiquette class? Teacher Pat Cordova uses the meal to bridge the gap. This past week, several area youngsters met in the kitchen of the Annette Howell Turner Center for the Arts for these summer classes.

They spent mornings cooking. One day, the youngsters learned to make meatballs and sauce for spaghetti. Another day, they prepared baked chicken fingers and monkey bread. They baked sweet potatoes. They created desserts and fruit smoothies. Cordova taught youngsters the basics of the kitchen, while she and adult volunteers such as Careen Shapiro handled the stove and oven.

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Singing the nursery rhyme "oranges and lemons, the bells of St. Clement's ... " while jumping "inside, outside, inside out ... " is lost on most children these days, replaced by cell phone text messages sent in code that barely resembles words.

But learning to jump rope double-Dutch is one of the basic skills being taught -- along with reading, writing, math and basic etiquette -- during summer camp at the East Drain Street Community Center.

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Finding an environmentally friendly way to dispose of flip-flops may not seem like the most pressing issue on the planet, but if you're anything like me, being stuck with those difficult-to-recycle items can be nothing short of infuriating. I'm pretty much obsessed with finding a way to recycle, repair, compost, or creatively reuse practically everything:

Hence, my reserve of rubber bands made from an old bicycle tube; my stash of seasoned socks for dusting; and the parcel of packing peanuts I've been toting around in the trunk of my car until I have time to deliver them to a Peanut Hotline-designated drop-off center.

Those things for which I haven't been able to uncover an aforementioned solution, I vow never to purchase again as I throw them, wracked by green guilt, into the trash. (Buh-bye, mold-filled ice cream scooper! So long, hideous and broken suede picture frame!)

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It may seem like a no-brainer for most people, but today's younger generations seem to lack basic social skills, which becomes evident when they try to start careers. Children growing up in a digital era seem to have a confused view about what is appropriate with friends versus what is acceptable behavior in adult and professional situations, both in person and online.

Faye Rogaski, a public relations executive and communications teacher, noticed social boundaries being disregarded in her college students, she told CNN. They did not dress appropriately for school and had no email etiquette.

The young adults also quickly tarnished anything left of a polished reputation when friending her on Facebook. Here they were social networking with a potential boss and person of higher influence, yet posting all their debaucheries for her to see.

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Eat your heart out, Microsoft Surface! Musicians are taking up interactive tables as new ways of making their creations physically accessible, so listeners can reach out and touch the work.

Etiquette is a new interactive installation at the Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop, featuring a light box on which musical elements can be manipulated by moving around blocks.

It uses the same underlying library that was developed for the ReacTable synth, currently made famous by its use on Bjork’s tour.

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A few months ago, I ran into a neighbor at the library.  As I stopped to say hello, her 12-year-old son did something that shocked me.  He looked me in the eye and said, “It’s nice to see you again.”  I just about fell over.

Here was a middle school kid who not only acknowledged my presence, he did so in the most polite and respectful way.  I immediately fell in love and began plotting his future wedding to my 9-year-old.

Sadly, that fine young man’s grasp of proper social skills seems to be a rare thing.   Not a day goes by that some child doesn’t phone my house and demand to speak to my kid without even saying hello first.

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The college students who showed up with bare midriffs and never contributed to discussions during Faye Rogaski's communication classes were surprised when they weren't picked for coveted internships and jobs.

They would also e-mail the public relations executive without so much as a greeting but with demands such as "I need a reference," or "I need a letter of recommendation." No "please," no "thank you," no face-to-face handshakes, introductions or follow-ups after classes.

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I read with disgust the letter “Check rude behaviour” (The Star, June 25) and cannot help but agree with the writer about the unpleasant encounters that one gets from the market to shopping malls, from hospitals to airports. Just where has all the teaching gone? The bad manners can be easily felt when one lands on Malaysian soil because of the sudden change in culture.

In Malaysia, it seems that people practise good manners only because they have to do so. They are forced to do so because it is part of their job. It seems that it is not from within them and it is not in them to be polite and customer-friendly. However, to those Malaysians who are genuinely friendly and good mannered, I salute you because you have been brought up and nurtured well.

Positively enhancing lives is what Fleur de Lis Academy is all about, said Michelle Sperry, the dance and etiquette school's founder. On Saturday, June 12, Fleur de Lis Academy, which offers dance lessons, etiquette classes and helps plan small children's parties, opened it's doors in Wilton. Sperry, a Weston resident, said she has been teaching dance classes, etiquette classes and planning parties for over 24 years. Putting all three aspects together into one studio, she said, was the perfect combination.

"I think that dance and etiquette classes are two very important life skills that people should learn," said Sperry. "I thought that if I combined them into one studio, it would be easier. Then, I thought if I added planning parties to the venue, it would be a complete studio of all the things I love to do."

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