Boyz 2 Men learn secrets of Ritz-style etiquette

By Christopher Tobutt

The Boyz 2 Men group from John Gray High School had a morning out at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel with the group’s founder, Christopher Murray and Clark, School Principle and the school Principal, John Clark. They all stopped for a big group photo right in front of the huge hotel doorway, before going inside to learn some of the secrets of etiquette that separate a boy from a gentleman, from the best of the best, Wesley Hepburn the hotel’s Assistant Director of Banqueting. “I will be sharing with them the best practices; things that they can use not just in their day to day operation but when they are starting their first jobs, when they are finishing school, even those boys who want to go on a nice date, so that they can make a better impression,” Mr. Hepburn said. “It’s etiquette really; good service etiquette that they can apply throughout their whole life,” he said.

Giving me an example, Mr. Hepburn showed me how to greet someone professionally, shaking my hand. “Good Morning my name is Wesley. Is there something I can assist you with right now? You see, it’s really body language, and eye contact,” he said. “One of the things we are taught in the hotel is to listen, but not just in order to reply. Often a lot of people listen, but just to reply, and really they have then created a response within the first five seconds of the conversation. That is sad because then you do not have the opportunity to be able to listening and then we don’t learn, so we don’t have the opportunity to expand,” Mr. Hepburn explained.

All the boys were instructed first in one of the big banqueting halls of the hotel, before being shown all around the beautiful hotel. In the banqueting hall, they practiced the simple art of sitting down with a guest in a nice restaurant. Mr. Hepburn praised them, but also told them how they can do things better. Key words to remember are “manners, respect, patience and discipline, and pride,” he said. “These Things that we have to carry. It is something that we will take with us when we make to decision, mentally, to become a gentleman. “Imagine you guys walked in slumbering down slouching down what would be your first impression? Instead of standing tall and proud, and giving you a warm welcome.

One of the boys on the path to becoming a gentleman was 16-year old Jaymi Stubbs Martin: “I am expecting to learn good manners, and how to respect people and all of that,” he said. Jaymi said he had very much enjoyed participating in the program so far, and that he was really enjoying wearing the wonderfully smart, classy black tie, which has kindly been donated to all the members of the Boyz 2 Men group by MLA David Wight “When I wear this I feel different from everyone else. I feel like I am a man instead of a boy,” Jaymi said.

Boyz 2 Men gather in front of the Ritz-Carlton Hotel, pictured with Wesley Hepburn, Director of Banqueting, John Gray High School Principal Mr. John Clarke, and Christopher Murray, founder of the group