Students’s families purchased bowls created by art students and had them filled with a homemade soup served by the students.
Marlton Middle School students recently hosted their annual Empty Bowls Event to raise money for the Food Bank of South Jersey.
The event followed a special visit and tour of the Food Bank, during which the students learned different ways their donations support the facility and those who rely on it for their next meal.
Students in the school’s Cooking for a Cause and Ceramics electives got a special tour of the food bank’s warehouse in Pennsauken.
They saw the impressive food distribution process in action as dozens of volunteers sorted through boxes of donations to fill the shelves.
Joanne Wiest, MMS Family and Consumer Sciences teacher and organizer of the field trip, along with Kate Gormley, MMS Art teacher, explained the importance of the trip to their students and provided them with this first-hand experience of true service learning.
“This field trip helped our students visualize the difference they are making when they donate to the Food Bank of South Jersey,” Wiest said. “As they organized the Empty Bowls event, they remembered this trip and the hundreds of people the proceeds will benefit.”
After the field trip, students spent the weeks leading up to their annual Empty Bowls event planning and preparing. Eighth-grade art students designed bowls and cooking students perfected a variety of soup recipes.
On the day of the event, students’ families filled the MMS gymnasium.
They purchased their bowl of choice and had it filled with a homemade soup served by the students.
“We made chili, tomato soup, chicken noodle soup and bacon corn chowder, just to name a few,” MMS eighth grader and cooking student John Shannon said. “We’ve been working hard on this event for the past couple of weeks. My favorite part of the process was making the soup, because I know people will enjoy it and that it will benefit those in need.”
The students were excited to see the success of their event as family members filled the room.
“We want to make this donation to help people who are less fortunate,” MMS eighth grader and art student Isabella Moore said. “Our trip to the Food Bank of South Jersey showed us how they help people in need every day and it helped us realize how important it is for us to continue to help others.”
