Principia School recently hosted its 4th annual Empty Bowls Community Dinner, marking another successful year of giving back to the community. In partnership with Urban Harvest STL, the event contributed over $2,500 to the international Empty Bowls Project, which directly assists residents in the greater St. Louis area.
Upper School students played an integral role in the event by handcrafting and donating over 200 ceramic bowls. Empty Bowls originally emerged out of the Wheel 1 class and extended into Principia’s unique Quest program to give students more time to focus on the craftsmanship behind creating these timeless pieces.
Students set their minds on molding, firing, and glazing one-of-a-kind bowls, joined by community members who also held several open studios where people of all ages created bowls for the event. From the potter’s wheel to the kiln, students and participants fine-tuned their craft, their creativity, and their ultimate goal: making a positive impact on the community.
To fill every attendee’s new bowls, community members came together to provide soup, salad, and bread—ensuring that no bowl, and no bellies were empty.
To cap off the evening, guests were invited to participate in a silent auction featuring artwork by Principia students and professional artists. The auction not only showcased a wide range of artistic expression but also provided another meaningful way for attendees to support the mission of Empty Bowls and Urban Harvest STL.
Upper School students also shared information about food insecurity, educating guests about Urban Harvest STL’s mission of building strong communities around inclusive and resilient local food systems.
Speaking about the impact of the project and event, Visual Art Department Chair and Art Teacher, Mary Lamboley noted, “Empty Bowls is love made practical. Through the creative practice we bring these ideals and values to life, learning and growing with humility and gratitude.”
With bowls in hand, guests left the event with a deeper awareness of food insecurity, and the power that lies behind collective action. The Empty Bowls Community dinner served as a reminder that when compassion, creativity, and community come together, even a bowl of soup can nourish lasting change.