CHARLOTTE, NC –The National League of Junior Cotillions has announced the appointment of Haymarket resident Kathleen Geneva as the new NLJC Director for the Western Prince William Chapter in Virginia.
Traditionally known for providing young men and women with instruction in ballroom dance, the broader purpose of the National League of Junior Cotillions program is to give students direction in social courtesies and life skills as well as provide character education that will help them form better relationships and become more confident and poised as they grow and become adults. Students actively learn these essential skills through a creative method employing role-playing, skits and games that appeal to their age and maturity level.
According to Geneva, “The NLJC program in Prince William County will initially provide character education, etiquette, and social dance training for fifth-through eighth-grade students. It includes five classes and two Balls over a seven-month period.” Geneva adds that a high school level program is in the works and is slated to be introduced early next year.
Parents are often challenged trying to teach their children how to behave in social situations and find that NLJC can really help their children learn in a fun and interactive setting. NLJCs social behavior component ranges from rules of conversation to formal and informal table manners. In addition to the usual courtesies connected with dancing, etiquette instruction is also provided with regards to the following: acknowledgment of gifts, behavior at cultural and civic events, correspondence, interaction in groups, introductions, paying and receiving compliments, receiving lines, sportsmanship and sports etiquette, instructional dinners, telephone courtesy, and many other areas of social conduct.
The National League of Junior Cotillions’ setting will encourage children to be comfortable together, to make new friends, and to enjoy themselves. Communication skills learned by young ladies and gentlemen in a peer group setting provide graduating students with increased confidence and poise in social situations.
A self-proclaimed “military brat”, Geneva grew up all over the world where her parents always instilled honor and dignity. Her father, a West Point graduate and her mother, an educator, always stressed the importance of family and respect. Geneva graduated with a BA in Communications from Randolph—Macon Women’s College. Her junior year she traveled abroad where she attended Reading University in the UK. She also attended Oxford, where she studied at St. Anne’s College. Upon graduation, Geneva had a career in the Human Resource field and worked in the DC area for over 16 years. She was also involved in the Junior League of Washington, DC for several years. Presently, Geneva and her husband Dr. Edward Geneva reside in Haymarket, Virginia and are raising their two beautiful children, ages, 8 and 11. Prior to launching to the Prince William Chapter of NLJC, Geneva was a stay at home mom active in volunteering at school and in the community.
The National League of Junior Cotillions is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, where the program was established in 1979. There are now over 400 chapters in 27 states across the country, involving thousands of students. President Charles Anthony Winters said, “We are delighted to see this training return to Prince William County, Virginia. It has had a great impact on the self-esteem and social development of young people across the country, and expect it to be just as successful with Kathleen Geneva at the helm.”
If you would like to know more about the program, please call Kathleen Geneva at (703) 901-1498, National Headquarters at 1-800-633-7947, or visit their award winning website at www.nljc.com.
