Students help out local food shelf by donating pottery bowls.

In an attempt to battle against hunger, St. Louis Park’s Emergency Program (STEP) hosted its 13th Annual Empty Bowls event March 7, while Park students aided the cause by donating pottery bowls.
Empty Bowls helps raise money and awareness for the underprivileged in the community, according to one of the directors, Erin Bardinski. Those who go to the event are able to take home a bowl handmade by local artists, students or residents in reminder of the empty bowls in the community.

Senior Mariah Riley said she thinks it was important for the students in pottery to donate their bowls to the event.

“I think donating to Empty Bowls is important because it helps build a sense of helping others,” Riley said.
According to Bardinski, it is important for students to get involved, since they are potentially helping out their classmates and neighbors by building community awareness for the hungry.

“One in ten families are served by STEP,” Bardinski said. “If you think about your block, it’s very likely that one of the houses is being served by STEP.”

Pottery teacher Erik Adolphson said he really believes in the event hosted by STEP.

“We highly support Empty Bowls and have for years,” Adolphson said. “I think it’s especially important in these later years, especially with the economy.”

Senior Adrienne Reyerson said she thinks Empty Bowls is a great opportunity for high schoolers to show they care for those less fortunate.

“I think it’s a great way for the people at the high school who do pottery to use their talents to give back to those who are less fortunate,” Reyerson said.

Students in Adolphson’s classes donated the bowls from previous years to the event.

“We have a one year lag and so students from this year will donate pottery that hasn’t been fired from last year,” Adolphson said. “The students will glaze the pottery from the year before for the public tables.”
As well as helping to raise awareness, Empty Bowls is also a chance for some advanced potters to see their work auctioned off at higher donation prices. This thought proves to be exciting in the case of senior Jahdai Shaw.
“I’d be proud of myself and this would make me want to work harder,” Shaw said. “I’d want to be involved in more silent auctions and be out there more.”
Overall, students like Reyerson said they are just happy to be helping our their community.
“It’s a good reminder that people can make a difference when it comes to helping out the hungry,” Reyerson said.