updated 4:13 p.m. ET Jan. 9, 2008

BEIJING - The young women practice posture by balancing books on their heads while squeezing a sheet of paper between the knees. A perfect smile is honed by hours in front of a mirror with a chopstick clasped between the teeth.

Training for potential Olympic medal ceremony hostesses seems plucked from a 1950s charm school, but that’s part of Beijing’s meticulous planning for the Summer Games that even includes breeding flowers that will bloom in the oppressive August heat.

In their search for photogenic hostesses versed in international etiquette, organizers turned to government-run programs that train teenage girls to become flight attendants.

Chubby-faced Yang Tiantian, 16, is a student at the Changping Vocational School on the outskirts of the Chinese capital, where she and her classmates learn “standing, walking, presenting, smiling.”

Dressed in matching red airline uniforms featuring colorful neck scarves, slim skirts and black pumps, they are drilled on skills such as walking in a line — smiling pleasantly, of course — while carrying trays with a magazine and two bottles of water.

“The smile should be spontaneous. If it’s a fake smile, then it doesn’t look good,” Yang said, her hands folded primly at the waist. “When we practice smiling, we hold a chopstick between our teeth and try to think about something happy.”

Young women from Changping and similar schools served as medal ceremony hostesses for the Good Luck Beijing test events that began last year, held to make sure venues and operations are in good working order for the games’ Aug. 8 opening.

Some of those will likely be picked for the actual games, said Li Zhanjun, director of the Beijing Olympics media center. He would not say how many would be chosen or what criteria was used to pick presenters.

The 32 students in Yang’s class said they were thrilled by the possibility of being part of the Olympics, an event China’s communist government intends to use to show the world it is ready to take its place among the ranks of great nations.

“We want (visitors) to think that China is a polite country that really lives up to its name,” said 17-year-old Feng Jiale, who wore a Communist Youth League pin on her airline uniform.

“I want them to know that the Chinese people are refined, that we really are confident about our country,” said 16-year-old Feng Shuo.

Beijing Olympics organizers’ pickiness in choosing hostesses illustrates the inordinate amount of planning that has gone into the upcoming games. Four years ago, the laidback Greeks selected hostesses from among the general pool of volunteers following brief interviews, a former Athens Games official said.

By turning to the state-run flight attendant schools, organizers are picking from among a group selected for their physical attributes and ability to make a good impression.

At Changping, students must stand between 5-foot-6 and 5-foot-8 and weigh 110 to 120 pounds. They learn English, French, German, Japanese and Korean. Classes in applying makeup are part of the curriculum.

A class of young women, age 16 to 18, gave a demonstration in the school gymnasium on Wednesday to show off the proper posture and how to walk with a tray. (“The forearms and upper arms must form a 90 degree angle,” the teacher reminded them.)

They practiced bows of 15, 30 and 45 degrees, holding the poses even though they appeared rather uncomfortable.

Slide show   The Week in Sports Pictures Manny messes up, the Tour takes off to Spain, Nomar returns and more. more photos

“Show six to eight teeth when you smile. The smile must be spontaneous,” the teacher said. “Remember to keep a sweet smile on your face. Walk in a straight line!”

Then the women placed their English textbook, “Everybody Speaks English,” on their heads and gripped a sheet of white paper between their slim knees.

“Because when you’re standing, you have to keep your legs straight. And not just straight, you have to keep the legs close together because otherwise it looks bad,” Yang said.

Every day at the beginning of class, the women spend five minutes practicing posture and smiling, said 18-year-old Li Hongbei.

English skills seemed a bit wanting, however.

When asked what she would say to an athlete who won an Olympic medal, Li responded in Chinese with “Congratulations.”

Pushed for a response in English, she pursed her perfectly glossed lips for several moments, then said “Good luck.”

MORE FROM OTHER SPORTS

Other sports Section Front

Texas' Garrido gets 4 days in jail for DWI Ivey headlines final table for poker’s main event Mercury suspend Taurasi after DUI arrest Injury to scratched Derby favorite prompts lawsuit U.S. cricket wants to launch T20 Premier League Gatti's wife denies murdering husband Study: Women have advantage in college sports Jockeys figure out the science of speed An unbreakable record? Don’t be fooled Jeep World on NBC Other sports Section Front   Add Other sports headlines to your news reader: