Girls Learn Etiquette at Daisy Troop Tea

A group of kindergarten girls learned basic etiquette and forged new friendships at a tea co-hosted by the Increase Miller, Katonah and Lewisboro Elementary Daisy troops on Friday.

Maura Hoffman, a teacher at the and etiquette specialist, demonstrated the art of proper introductions and gave a lesson in table setting, while the young Daisies crafted homemade napkin rings and set their own places at tables arranged to mix up the troops. The girls snacked on lavender mint shortbread cookies, red velvet mini cupcakes, chocolate chip muffins and lemonade.

"Fostering friendship is one of the goals of Girl Scouts—our motto is "Be a sister to every Girl Scout"—and this event brought together 47 girls from three troops," said Julie Alterio, mother to Violet, 6, a student at Increase Miller Elementary School and member of Troop 1091.

Alterio is a leader of the troop and helped to organize the event. "We felt a Teddy Bear Tea would be a fun and memorable way for all of the kindergarten Daisies in the Katonah-Lewisboro school district to meet each other," she said. "Our girls are still young enough to want to celebrate our first friends—stuffed bears and other toys—while celebrating our new friends among the Girl Scouts."

Following the tea, the mothers volunteered to lead the girls in such games as musical chairs, Hot Potato and Simon Says. Another group practiced proper posture.

Troop Leaders Jeanine Scott and Melissa Luper from Lewisboro and Tracey Pagan, Jodi Butler, Julie Rabin and Rosie Amoriello from Katonah Elementary were also on hand with several other volunteer mothers to shepherd the Daisies through the activities. The space was donated by the Katonah Village Library.

Click through the photo gallery for highlights from the event.