Monday, November 18, 2013

Empty Bowls Project

   The Empty Bowls Project is a grassroots movement with an aim to help end and bring awareness to hunger and food insecurity in our communities. I first learned of the Empty Bowls Project during a ceramics course my junior year of college. Since then, it has always been at the back of my mind. That place all teachers have dedicated in their brains for future school ideas (or now referred to simply as Pinterest). In August, I started researching nearby events. None of them were really right for us. Most events wouldn't take volunteers under 16, or were too far away, or were for professional potters only. So I did what I usually do, dove head-first into a pretty ambitious idea. Thus, the very first Navarro JHS Empty Bowls project was born.
Here is a link to a local newspaper article for the event!
 
 Students used food-safe glaze, slump molds, and some throwing on the wheel to create these functional masterpieces!

Students began working in early October to make our mid-November deadline. We discussed statistics of people (especially children) who lived with hunger or food insecurity, in our state. My plan was for each student to create 3 ceramic bowls; each a different size, style, or technique. Their results blew me away. We had 70+ bowls to sell and only had a hand-full leftover after the event. There wasn't a single student who did not make a sale! All of the proceeds went to a local food bank!












1 comment: