Kids who would be wearing jeans and T-shirts to school donned shirts and ties, dresses and skirts for Monday’s “Manners Mixer” in the Danville ballroom.

One-hundred sixty-three sixth-graders, their 10 teachers and special guests from the community brought the total of about 200 for the event which culminated the students’ study of good manners.

Students escorted the special guests into the ballroom. They included Riverside Mayor Dale Erb, Danville Mayor Ed Coleman, Mahoning Township Police Chief David Shope, Danville Police Chief Eric Gill, school board members Barbara Boyer and Megan Raup, businessman Bill Cole, Danville Area United Way Executive Director Francis Moyer and Michael Rocci of Cherokee Pharmaceuticals which provided a $2,000 community grant used to buy food and other items for the event.

“Hopefully you will realize good manners never go out of style,” Susan Fluck, social studies teacher, told the students, seated with their guests at the 24 round tables decorated for fall and with woven paper place mats made by the students.

Mark Kitchen, 12, usually wears jeans to school but on Monday he sported a bright pink tie, a black shirt and black pants.

“The kids are so nice. They have good manners in preparation for this, ” said Coleman, who was a guest last year at the event held in the ballroom for the second consecutive year.

Escorting him was 11-year-old Hannah Huron who wore a shiny red blouse and black gaucho pants. Sitting next to her was Dalton Semiclose, 12, who wore a white shirt with a tie and jeans.

“I have a regular shirt under this because I have gym this afternoon,” he said.

The kids had to set their own table setting correctly, boys had to tie their own ties and they pulled out chairs for their guests.

They also used appropriate conversation during the meal, said sixth-grade teacher Cindy Hintz.