Students at Esperanza Academy are too young to take the boss out to dinner, but Teresa Duggan plans to share some business etiquette with them in preparation for the future.

She is a member of a local group of professional women that is teaming with Esperanza Academy, an all-girls, tuition-free middle school in Lawrence that opened in September.

Members of Great Women to Know say they plan to dedicate the next two years to supporting the academy by sharing their money, time and expertise with the school and its students.

"There are some incredible women that are in this group," said Duggan, a North Andover resident. "We are helping each other and helping the next generation."

In the case of Teresa Duggan, that means teaching etiquette to the girls with lessons on eye contact, proper introductions and dining in professional situations. Duggan said proper business etiquette is one way to get recognized and advance in a company.

Etiquette lessons, which Duggan gives professionally, are just one piece of what Great Women to Know hopes to bring to the school, which already has a vigorous curriculum and high standards for students.

The school started this year with a fifth-grade class. Sixth-, seventh- and eighth-grade classes will be added in the next few years. Students were chosen based on financial need.

Susan Wilson of Andover founded Great Women to Know, then quickly added Esperanza Academy to its mission.

Wilson, a senior financial adviser at Merrill Lynch, said she would like to give students financial tips and help them set up savings accounts.

She said women from Great Women to Know can also give fitness classes, take the girls on field trips and help with business needs of the school. She talked about setting up a career day when students can go to work with members of Great Women to Know.

"We want to bring them out into our professions, introduce them and open their eyes to a different world," she said.

Laurie Bottiger, head of the school, said even with the opportunities at Esperanza Academy, she is worried her students will struggle with the problems of the community, including a 40-percent dropout rate, poverty and teenage pregnancy. She said the partnership with Great Women to Know can give students goals to focus on and introduce them to different careers.

"I hope these women will be an awesome model for what females can do," she said. "The girls will get to see these women and realize that they could be them, too."

The official kick-off for the partnership with Great Women to Know was about a week ago, but Margaret Hamilton has been working with the academy over the last few months.

Hamilton, a graphic designer in Andover, said the experience has been positive.

"The girls are very keen to share what they can do. They are a delight," she said. "The kids are so happy. Even the delivery man when I was there was whistling when I came in."

She designed the invitations for an upcoming fundraiser and plans to work with the school on its corporate image.

Enthusiasm among the members of Greart Women to Know and the students is growing, Hamilton said.

Duggan said expectations are high for these students, even if they may not see the results right away.

"I feel we will have accomplished our goal when in 20 years we see them in Great Women to Know," Duggan said.

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Kudos for Academy

Esperanza Academy is also receiving recognition from The Boston Club, an organization for senior executive and professional women.

The school is this year's recipient of The Boston Club's 2007 Advancement Award, which is given out annually to a charitable, community-based organization that improves the lives of women.

"Everything they are doing fits with what we want to see happening, with the involvement of the parents and the community. They are creating a place where women will grow up with confidence and leadership skills," said Constance Armstrong, executive director of The Boston Club.

Laurie Bottiger, head of Esperanza Academy, will accept the award and cash donation at a ceremony tomorrow. Armstrong would not say the amount of the cash award.

This is the 15th year The Boston Club has given out an advancement award. The organization received 20 nominations this year that fit this spring's theme of education.