Empty Bowl Suppers

A tradition in Maine

In many school districts, middle and high schools organize Empty Bowl Suppers. Here is the way they work:

1. Students create bowls in art class, usually on the potters wheel but sometimes by hand
2. Students, parents, and teachers provide soups, stews, or another meal that can be served and eaten in a bowl
3. Community members are invited to attend the Empty Bowl supper and are asked to make a donation or a set cost is pre-determined by organizers
4. Attendees select a bowl that has been made by a student and eat of their bowl during the event
5. Often music students participate by providing music during the supper
6. The money raised is donated to a local organization such as a Food Bank

While my sons were in high school they participated in the Empty Bowl and now I have several bowls in my kitchen made by them and their friends.  Read on to learn of a supper coming up this week.

Sacopee Valley Middle School in Hiram, ME is filling bowls to help the hungry in our community. They are proud to host their 1st annual Empty Bowls and Fine Arts Showcase event on Thursday, February 17 from 5-7:30 p.m. Empty Bowls is a nationwide program that has fed thousands of hungry Americans.  This community service learning projecti has been organized by Danette Kerrigan, Art teacher at the middle school.

As part of the project, students have diligently been staying after school to create fantastic clay bowls. For $5 you will have your choice of a bowl and soup and get to keep the bowl as a reminder of all the empty bowls in the world. All money collected will be donated to two local food pantries to fight hunger in our  community.

Dinner will be served from 5-6:30pm while performances from the Sacopee Valley Community Band will entertain you from 6:30-7:30pm.  In addition there will be a sneak preview of SAD 55’s upcoming performance of Oliver!  Throughout your experience, you’ll be amazed at the student artwork showcase on display.

Please join us as we hope to increase awareness of hunger and support for our community. Tickets can be purchased at Sacopee Valley Middle School or the Superintendent’s Office from 9 a.m. to 3p.m. or on the evening of the event.

For more information, please contact Danette Kerrigan at 625-2450 or dkerrigan@sad55.org. To learn more about the Empty Bowls Project, visit www.emptybowls.net

Please leave a comment if you are planning an Empty Bowl Supper and give us the details of the event. Thanks!

In Today’s News

Schoodic sculpture symposium to offer workshop for teachers

Sharon Kiley Mack, staff member for the Bangor Daily News wrote a piece on the upcoming workshop being offered for teachers on March 26th. Read the article by clicking here.

Sculpture from 2009 symposium installed at UM Machias

 

Glenburn School Chorus

Singing for the legislature

Congratulations music educator Sarah Clark and her students who performed the National Anthem at the opening of the legislative session on Thursday, February 10, 2010. Sarah and the  Glenburn School Chorus were invited by Representative Stacey Guerin. The students were very excited and did a wonderful job!

 

 

Congratulations to the Durham Tiger Band and their music teacher Sue Olmsted! The Durham Community School played a concert in the capitol rotunda, performed the National Anthem for the beginning of the day’s legislative session. Afterwards they had a tour of the UMA recording studio and campus.