Extracurricular activities, leadership positions, sports teams, community service – being a good student is no longer just about making the grade. Colleges today are looking for well-rounded students with a host of skills and qualifications. The burden for today’s teens can seem backbreaking as their precariously-balanced schedules wobble between academics and extracurriculars. Now business wunderkind Mia Kim says this recipe for success is missing an essential ingredient. As she explains, etiquette lessons can make today’s youth into the total package.

When Kim answers questions about why she believes incorporating etiquette into a child’s education is important, she cites a Harvard study that showed 85 per cent of a person’s success is based on their social savvy (technical and knowledge skills accounted for the remaining 15 per cent). “Savoir-faire” success stories are near and dear to Kim’s heart. At just 23, Kim went from an undergraduate majoring in humanities to a sales executive who helped a company grow from a USD 30 million enterprise to USD 150 million in just a year’s time – all before she had graduated from university.

Kim credits the company’s astronomical success on the executive team’s ability to present a polished and professional image, despite their combined youth and inexperience – a fact backed up by feedback from their partners and clients. These “soft” skills had been Kim’s hobby since she picked up her first Emily Post book as a young girl and discovered her self-proclaimed “passion for manners.”

Kim, who was born in Korea and moved to America at age 6, also acknowledges that her Asian background shaped her into the successful businesswomen she has become. “I had an affinity from early childhood for learning cultural things that were traditional. I learned tea ceremonies, Asian etiquette and gu zhen as a child,” Kim says. “As an Asian American, I felt displaced, like I had lost my cultural identity. These rituals were my way of developing an awareness of who I was.”

After retiring from the corporate world five years ago, Kim started answering pleas from her friends for advice on how to master the social skills necessary to succeed in today’s international business world. What began as advice evolved naturally into her latest business venture: Mia K. Inc. The self-titled company fuses two of Kim’s passions: etiquette and education. Now, she has opened the Shanghai branch of Mia K. and is reaching out to the city’s population to offer her own brand of lifestyle training.

Kim holds classes designed to sculpt and refine adults, but believes the most success can be found among younger students. “Old habits are hard to break, from being able to maintain eye contact to making open gestures,” she says. “It’s better to start training as a youngster.” She currently offers two sets of classes to help mold future generations: 'Children’s Etiquette' and 'Youth Etiquette'. The former is designed to train and educate children between the ages of 7 to 12, the latter, 13 to 18.

The fundamental goal of Kim’s training is to show the leaders of tomorrow how to promote honesty, respect and consideration for themselves and others in their life. MIA K. Inc. accomplishes this task by offering a series of basic lifestyle lessons, such as table etiquette, mobile and text skills, self-introduction, posture and grooming, which are articulated through role play activities, retreats, body memory exercises and field trips.

These lessons are constructed to inspire children to become comfortable not only with themselves, but also with social settings – a soft skill that is often neglected in a world where interpersonal communication skills are underestimated. “Social skills and manners were traditionally taught in the home, but in today’s world where both spouses work, it’s increasingly difficult for parents to connect to their children and instill in them essential values,” explains Kim. “But character can be these children’s edge, and that’s where lifestyle training comes in.”

To study under Kim’s polite tutelage, students can opt for a three-month program that meets on Saturdays. Families are also invited to join in on the etiquette education with a two-day retreat where parents and children learn different skill sets to create an environment for success. University prep courses are also available for students preparing for the gruelling college interview process.

Adding one more thing to the already overloaded schedules of busy students might seem like the last thing they need, but etiquette classes could be the edge that leads to success. And Kim likes to think she’s making the world a better place by teaching young people about manners. “Nothing has ever evolved out of rudeness,” she says. “At Mia K., we’re trying to make it a happier world in our small, little way.”

Web: www.miakinc.com

Family Calendar

Athletic Adventures @ ActiveKidz

Activekidz Fall Sports schedule has an activity for athletes of all ages and skill levels. Kids can choose from baseball, field hockey, golf, gymnastics, soccer, swimming and tennis. This autumn, Activekidz is also adding martial arts to the mix and fans of mastering mind and body can join taekwando and wushu classes to brush up on their gong fu skills.

1 September. Tel: 6406 6757.

Web: www.activekidz.org

Open Classes @ JZ School

Summer’s over and it’s time to get back in the swing of things. JZ School is offering a range of new classes from Practical Musicianship to Kids’ Vocal Class, along with old favourites like Musical Theatre and Baby Ballet. Children and parents are invited to try or observe the classes for free during the first week of the semester.

4-9 September. Tel: 5403 6475.

Email: [email protected]

Bumps & Babes Meet-up @ Paulaner Brauhaus

This support group for pregnant and new mothers invites Dr Tyrone Bristol from Shanghai United Hospital to their bimonthly meeting. Dr Bristol will talk about the risks and effects of lead poisoning, as well as give new mothers tips on how to protect their baby.

8 September. Tel: 135 6433 5442.

Email: [email protected]

Celebrate Teacher’s Day

Stock up on apples this September! Teacher’s Day celebrates the country’s educators this month. Expect games, activities and maybe even a skit or two, although some schools see fit to show their appreciation by giving teachers the day off.

10 September

Family Treasure Hunt & BBQ in the Park

Enjoy Mid-Autumn Festival with a barbecue at Gongqing Forest Park before embarking on an adventurous Family Treasure Hunt. The activity fosters cooperation and creativity as families work as a team to find treasure and complete some brainteasers.

24 September. Tel: 5169 2240.

Web: www.withyana.com

Education News

Dulwich Teacher Takes the Long Route

While most of Shanghai’s international teachers were enjoying their summer holidays relaxing, Andy Clapperton embarked on an epic bike ride along the Silk Road to raise funds for MobiliseMe, a charity set up to provide sports equipment for disabled orphans. To learn more about the Spanish teacher’s strenuously charitable summer holiday, go to www.thelongride.net to read about his adventure.

YCIS Student Places in Top Five at National Speech Competition

Tiernan Murphy, a Year 5 student at Yew Cheung International School, impressed the judges of the National Storytelling Competition in Hangzhou with his Chinese-language version of Little Red Riding Hood. The Irish boy’s placement is a first for non-Asian contestants in this government-organised contest. Tiernan was judged on his storytelling ability, technical skills in Mandarin and stage presence.

SCIS Opens its Second Early Childhood Education Campus in Hongqiao

Shanghai Community International School opened its Early Childhood Education (ECE) Campus in Hongqiao in August. The school will offer a developmental curriculum for pre-school through kindergarten (age 3 to 5). Based on its successful program in Pudong, the Hongqiao campus curriculum will include experiences in language arts, science, math, art, music, movement and cooking.

Concordia Hosts World Scholar’s Cup

Over 600 students from 20 countries descended on Concordia’s campus to compete in the World Scholar’s Cup this summer. Acclaimed fiction writer Guy Gavriel Kay was also on hand to serve as the featured author for the popular international academic competition. The Cup invites students from all over the world to compete in four events: a team debate, multiple choice challenges, persuasive writing and the Scholar’s Bowl. Concordia’s team of 28 students had a great showing, walking away with nine awards.