Our Programs
From being heard to being ready.
Practical learning. Guided experience. Wider possibilities.
Etiquette Etiquette Foundation helps young people build the communication skills, professional habits, cultural awareness, and confidence to navigate their next steps.
Our educational work connects instruction with opportunities to practice—preparing youth and emerging adults for college, internships, employment, leadership, and civic life.
Preparation is more than knowing what to do.
It is having the opportunity to try, ask questions, receive feedback, and try again.
We make professional expectations understandable and give young people space to develop their skills without judgment. Participants bring their own voices, experiences, and strengths. Our role is to help them build on those strengths and prepare for unfamiliar settings.
Our Core Program
Opportunity Readiness Academy™
Skills for the next room they enter.
The Opportunity Readiness Academy™ brings professional preparation into practical, guided learning experiences.
Participants explore how to introduce themselves, communicate respectfully, prepare for interviews, understand workplace expectations, speak with confidence, and engage across cultures.
Professional presence
Preparation, punctuality, personal presentation, and conduct appropriate to different settings.
Introductions and interaction
Greetings, listening, conversation, and building professional relationships.
Workplace communication
Professional email, phone etiquette, teamwork, and respectful exchanges.
Career preparation
Explaining strengths, practicing interviews, receiving feedback, and understanding professional responsibilities.
Public speaking
Organizing ideas and delivering a clear introduction or short presentation.
Dining and social etiquette
Understanding invitations, host and guest responsibilities, table skills, and conversation during a meal.
Guided activities connect these subjects to situations participants may encounter in education, work, and community life.
How Learning Connects
Learn it. Practice it. Make it your own.
01
Listen
Begin with young people’s perspectives, interests, questions, and goals.
02
Learn
Explain professional expectations through clear instruction and relatable examples.
03
Practice
Rehearse introductions, interviews, conversations, presentations, and dining situations.
04
Demonstrate
Apply skills in guided activities, reflect on feedback, and recognize progress.
05
Connect
Explore professional environments, community relationships, and possible next steps as opportunities become available.
Learning Through Experience
Practice that brings preparation to life.
Our educational approach includes guided exercises and partner-supported experiences. Activities vary by cohort and may include:
Mock interviews and workplace scenarios
Practice answering questions, explaining strengths, asking for clarification, and responding professionally.
Speaking and conversation exercises
Develop confidence sharing ideas, joining a discussion, and introducing oneself to someone new.
Dining practice
Rehearse table skills, host and guest responsibilities, and thoughtful conversation in a supportive setting.
Career and cultural exposure
Explore professional roles, cultural perspectives, and community settings through activities arranged with participating partners.
Experiences are announced as arrangements are confirmed. Not every activity is included in every cohort.
OUR EDUCATIONAL PARTNERSHIP
Potential to Possibilities
Life Skills, Professional Presence, Future Readiness
Through our partnership with Community Advocates for Family & Youth (CAFY), we combine life skills education and professional readiness training for youth and emerging adults ages 14- 24.
CAFY strengthens self-awareness, decision-making, healthy relationships, and emotional regulation. Etiquette Foundation’s Opportunity Readiness Academy develops professional presence, communication, public speaking, career preparation, and civic engagement.
Launching in January 2027, our six-week program helps young people build confidence and prepare for education, employment, and community life. We are developing continued learning opportunities throughout the year.
A CULMINATING EXPERIENCE
The Diplomatic Spring Ball™
A Passage to Purpose.
The Diplomatic Spring Ball™ will take place on April 29, 2028, at the Willard InterContinental Washington, D.C., bringing together approximately 300 guests, including 96–100 youth participants, families, community leaders, and supporters.
This educational celebration gives young people a formal setting to put their preparation into practice through professional introductions, cultural awareness, dining etiquette, conversation, personal presentation, and the waltz.
It celebrates their achievements, recognizes their progress, and helps them envision broader possibilities for their futures.
April 29, 2028 • Willard InterContinental Washington, D.C.Participation details will be announced.
Who can participate?
Find the right next step.
Our primary focus is youth and emerging adults ages 15–24 in Washington, D.C., and Prince George’s County, Maryland.
Eligibility may vary by offering. Selected joint programs may serve ages 14–24; families and referral partners should confirm the requirements for the specific cohort.
Young people do not need prior etiquette training or professional experience to express interest.
Contact the Foundation for current information about enrollment, schedules, locations, costs or sponsored participation, and any parent or guardian requirements.
BUILD OPPORTUNITY WITH US
Help turn preparation into possibility.
Schools, universities, employers, professionals, and community organizations can help young people connect learning with experience.
Explore opportunities to contribute professional expertise, host a guided visit, support practice activities, make referrals, or sponsor participation.
Our longer-term goal is to build relationships that help young people work toward scholarships, internships, and leadership opportunities. Participation does not guarantee admission, employment, funding, or placement.