Mt. Lebanon middle schools put on Empty Bowls fundraiser
Jacob Calvin Meyer/The Almanac
After a meal of soup, bread and water, attendees got to take home a bowl made by Jefferson and Mellon middle school students.
Jacob Calvin Meyer/The Almanac
Students being given their meal for the night, a modest portion of soup, bread and water similar to that of a meal in soup kitchens.
Jacob Calvin Meyer/The Almanac
Some of the bowls had messages written inside them.
Jacob Calvin Meyer/The Almanac
Mt. Lebanon students eat their modest meals during an Empty Bowls fundraiser March 8.
Jacob Calvin Meyer/The Almanac
Many of the bowls had cards next to them with information about the student artist.
Living in the South Hills, poverty may not be something most kids see on a daily basis.
That doesn’t mean hunger isn’t a problem in the United States. According to Feeding America, one in six children “may not know where they will get their next meal.”
By Jacob Calvin Meyer/The Almanac
By Jacob Calvin Meyer/The Almanac
More than 100 Mt. Lebanon residents, parents and students attended the Empty Bowls event March 8.
As a way to educate kids about this, Mt. Lebanon’s middle schools collaborated for an Empty Bowls event on March 8 to raise money for hunger.
“It’s very important to give back and to show empathy and give back to others,” said Gwen Kassep, one of the event’s leaders and a business information technology teacher at Jefferson Middle School. “Even something as small as this can make a difference.”
Six different classes at both Jefferson Middle School and Mellon Middle School combined to put on the fundraiser at Jefferson’s cafeteria. The fundraiser, which drew around 100 people, raised $1,800 for the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank.
For $10, attendees received a modest meal of soup, bread and water – similar to what would be given out at a soup kitchen – along with the choice of a student-made bowl by Jefferson or Mellon art students.
Jacob Calvin Meyer/The Almanac
Jacob Calvin Meyer/The Almanac
Attendees got to take home a bowl made by art students from Jefferson and Mellon middle schools.
“It gives the students meaningful work,” Kassep said. “So everything they were doing they see it all coming together, and then once we make our donation, they’ll be so proud.”
Along with the collaboration of the BIT, the art enrichment and family consumer sciences classes at both schools also helped with the project. Joining Amenta and Kassep in leading the event were FCS teachers Chrissa Sullivan and Kate Jordaan and art teachers Phil Hessler and Karen Melvin.
The bowls were made by the art students, the soup was made by the FCS students and the BIT students advertised and helped plan the event.
“It was fun to be able to collaborate with our sister school, because we don’t get a lot of time to collaborate together,” said Deanna Amenta, one of the event’s leaders and BIT teacher at Mellon Middle School. “It really brought all of our disciplines together and allowed us teachers to work and brainstorm together and think of fun events that the kids could do and benefit a good cause.”
Jacob Calvin Meyer/The Almanac
Jacob Calvin Meyer/The Almanac
A unique bowl shaped like a crab.
For entertainment, the Mellon orchestra and the MelloTones, an a capella group at Mellon, both put on performances. To end the event, Elizabeth Rychcik from Outreach Teen & Family Services spoke to the group about “fostering empathy in a ‘selfie’ world.”
Amenta said getting students out of their “bubbles” is what this event was about.
“(Rychcik’s presentation) goes along with what we’re trying to do here as well,” Amenta said. “For kids to look outside their bubble and realize there are people in need and what you can do to help them.”