Malvern Prep’s five-month-long project of clay, community and caring that is Empty Bowls culminated last week at the School’s Visual Art Night segment of its Winter Arts Festival, as the School presented a check for $8,705 to the Bethesda Project to help that organization aid the homeless in Philadelphia.

Throughout the fall, Malvern students, parents and faculty collaborated on the daunting task of creating more than 600 ceramic bowls for the Empty Bowls dinner, which was held before Christmas break at the school. The dinner drew 300 guests on a cold Friday night, and more than 70 students volunteered to make the night a success.

“I’m really proud of the students who put so much work into this event, especially my ceramics classes, who did much of the work on creating the bowls,” said Kate Plows, Malvern ceramics teacher and organizer of the event. “Everyone was very energetic, enthusiastic, and attentive to the guests. Put this into perspective: we convinced more than 70 teenage boys to voluntarily give up their Friday night in the interest of service, and there were smiles all around!”

At the dinner, participants paid $25 for a simple meal of soup and bread. Each person kept the unique bowl of their choice, and many special bowls were sold through a silent auction. When all the proceeds were tallied up, Malvern was able to make a significant gift to an organization that provides a vital service to the community.

“Our sophomores have worked with Bethesda Project for several years now,” said Plows cooking residents a meal from scratch and learning from them over a shared dinner during service weekends. Bethesda is more than a homeless shelter; they form long-term relationships with their guests and residents, and they have a big focus on affirming the dignity of the individual. They also focus on building reciprocal benefits to residents and volunteers, helping volunteers to learn and grow through their experiences in service.”

This year Malvern sophomores taught some of the homeless men served by Bethesda how to glaze bowls, and Malvern students painted bowls for the dinner with the men during their service trips.

The Empty Bowls project is a perfect example of what makes Malvern Prep special. First, it encourages students to explore new areas, to develop new talents and to discover their creative sides. Second, the project reflects Malvern’s commitment to Christian service – working directly with people in need. Finally, the Empty Bowls project reaffirms the School’s emphasis on community and collaboration, maybe the most important value that Malvern students learn.

Most of the bowls for the project were made “community-style,” meaning that one artist might throw a piece, while another trims, while another glazes.

“We emphasize community ownership of the process of this event, rather than individual ownership of product. Students are teaching parents, younger siblings, and teachers to work with clay, and taking big responsibilities in organizing the whole process,” said Plows.

Creativity, community, caring – three values that Malvern Prep works very hard to instill in its students, with the hope that they will carry these values with them long after they graduate.

“Empty Bowls was a great way to connect the curriculum in a ceramics class with the broader social justice themes that are integrated into much of Malvern's curriculum,” Plows said. “The broader message behind an Empty Bowls dinner, and, indeed, behind many service programs at Malvern, is that when you develop a talent, you have a responsibility to use that talent in the service of others.”

For more photos and information about the event and the Bethesda Project, visit www.mpemptybowls.org.