A third grade teacher at Dana Road Elementary School wanted to hold a fundraiser for Blair E. Batson Children’s Hospital in Jackson and decided the best way she could achieve this goal was to start a club for girls.

The Young Mademoiselle Club was formed in November, and before Easter the group held a fashion show that raised nearly $800 for Blair E. Batson, founder of the club Mary Anne Walls said.

Walls said the notion to raise money for the hospital was to help out a family friend.

“Hannah Dunaway, who is one of my granddaughter’s best friends has been an ongoing patient at Blair E. Batson, and Skylar (Tweedle, Wall’s granddaughter) has always been interested in the hospital.

Last year, we were talking about something we could do as a fundraiser,” Walls said, and decided to form the club.

“I wanted to do the girls club last year, and now I had a reason to do it,” Walls said.

The Young Mademoiselle Club is a social and service club for third grade girls who attend the school and it focuses on etiquette, Walls said.

In November, an induction ceremony was held and about 35 girls became members.

“During the induction, Lauren Flaggs, who was later elected president of the club, said the girls sat in alphabetical order during the ceremony and dressed in their Sunday best.

“Mrs. Walls would call our name, and then we signed out name in the Mademoiselle Club book,” Lauren said.

Each member then received a pearl bracelet and a pink long-stemmed rose.

Young Mademoiselle Club members follow parliamentary procedures at each of their meetings, Walls said, and they say the club’s pledge.

For the monthly meetings, a guest speaker is invited to come and speak to the members.

“I spoke at the December meeting,” Walls said, and taught the girls how to make a Christmas dessert and set a table.

Noel Jackson, who serves as the club’s vice president said during the meeting she also learned about table manners.

“We don’t put our elbows on the table when we eat,” Noel said.

Lauren added they also learned to put their napkins in their laps while eating.

Both girls said they try to remind the boys at school about table manners.

“We tell the boys all the time to use their napkins,” Noel said.

Since starting the Young Mademoiselle Club at Dana Road, Walls said other clubs have also been formed, and they all meet once a month during school.

At the next Young Mademoiselle Club meeting, members will learn how to make bows.

Walls said the girls have already been watching videos on how to make hair bows.