BATON ROUGE — An organization is equipping young people in Baton Rouge with practical skills for success both inside and outside the classroom.

Yours For Calvary Outreach, a Baton Rouge-based nonprofit, hosted its third annual Project Etiquette on Saturday at the Main Library on Goodwood Boulevard. 

The free event designed for youth ages 10 to 19 featured interactive sessions on multiple topics from table manners and job interview skills to financial literacy to conflict resolution and responsible online behavior.

"I really believe that etiquette helps to get you in the door, because before people get to know you, they observe you," Founder and Executive Director Renee McGee Whitley said. 

The organization, now functioning in three states, including Louisiana, Illinois and Texas, also teaches people skills such as CPR taught by Board Member Anthony Boyd.

"It's grown in so many ways ... we had the homeless initiative, now we have four major initiatives, and project etiquette is our primary one," Whitley said. "We have cards that we send out ... to people who are infirm, sick, ill. And we also have Look Up and Live, where we support families that are struggling." 

Boyd said it's important that the organization covers a range of topics from communication skills to emotional wellness.

"It makes a fuller person. It takes all of these to make a full character that can prosper in life. So we're just doing little things to help them a little bit along the way," Boyd said.

Board Member Bridget Hardy added that financial literacy is something young people should start early.

"It's a great idea to start early, especially with the young adults, so they can learn how to manage their money when they graduate from high school, and to start saving and to know how to save their money."

All youth in attendance at the event received a free starter bank account with Neighbors Federal Credit Union.