Tyler

By MEGAN MIDDLETON
Staff Writer

Bonner Elementary third- through fifth-graders have been busy molding, glazing and firing clay bowls into marketable works of art to help put food in the "empty bowls" of the hungry in East Texas.

After about a month's worth of work, students handed off their creations Thursday morning to officials with Marvin United Methodist Church, which is hosting the fifth annual Empty Bowls Dinner and Auction at 6 p.m. Saturday at the church.

Melissa Brigman, missions director for Marvin United Methodist Church, was there to collect the bowls from students Thursday morning along with Ann Miller and Anne Pattullo.

Mrs. Brigman and the others raved over the bowls the students showed them before they were packed into boxes with the rest.

"These are going to bring in a lot of money," Mrs. Brigman told a group of students. "These are incredible. ... I'm so proud of y'all. With your hands you've made something that's going to help a lot of people."

Students will find out on Monday how much money their bowls brought.

All proceeds from the event, where hundreds of bowls from local artists will be auctioned and sold, will be donated to the East Texas Food Bank, St. Paul Children's Foundation and PATH to buy food for families in need.

Heather Gentry, the art teacher at Bonner, applied for a grant to the Tyler ISD Foundation so her students could have the materials to create and then contribute clay bowls for the event.

In February, Ms. Gentry was awarded the Glenna Jo Price Memorial Grant for $440, which has paid for clay, glaze and other materials needed to make the bowls.

"I didn't want to just spend money on stuff," Ms. Gentry said. "I want it to be a project that they'll never forget ..."

She described it as a service learning project.

"I really wanted them to get the bigger picture, rather than just bring pennies," she said. "Those things are valuable and are important, but I felt like there was a disconnect - why are we bringing these pennies? Why are we bringing this food?

"We learned that we can use our hands and use our time to give back and how it's just as valuable," Ms. Gentry said.

About a dozen of their bowls are also being auctioned off at Bonner and Tyler ISD to help raise money for another school next year to get to participate in this project, Ms. Gentry said.

Mrs. Brigman said the Bonner students' involvement in this year's event is catching some attention.

"There's a huge level of excitement about Bonner being involved this year," she said. "I already have people who are so excited about this, they are coming (to the auction) just for the Bonner bowls.

"It's from children, which always pulls your heartstrings," she said when asked why their involvement had drawn excitement. "But I think the Bonner children are special children to us. To see them giving back, we want to support them and encourage them and Heather."

Mrs. Brigman said they know some of the Bonner children through the St. Paul Children's Foundation.

"For them to be a part of this fundraiser is absolutely incredible," Mrs. Brigman said. "To give them an opportunity to give back, oh my goodness, what a tremendous learning experience and a way to show the children how important they are and what they can do and that everyone can be a giver."

USING YOUR HANDS

Inside Ms. Gentry's art class last week, students were painting on to the clay bowls different types of glaze, which, once inside the 1,900-degree kiln, explodes, creating designs and different colors. The final product emerges from the kiln with a shine.

Ms. Gentry said the students have enjoyed seeing the transformation from a ball of clay to a shiny piece of art.

In addition to creating the bowls from start to finish, the students also have listened to special guest speakers from the St. Paul Children's Foundation and the East Texas Food Bank talk about the process of how nonprofit organizations use donations.

Students were struck by the number of meals that just $1 could make possible through the food bank - eight meals can be provided with four quarters. Ms. Gentry said students have been doing the math on how many meals their bowls might be able to provide.

When a group of students was asked last week if they were having fun, they quickly exclaimed, "Yes."

"We're helping," said Dakota Moore, a third-grader.

His classmate, Natania Rosales, added, "Because other people need it."

Jazmin Sanchez, a fourth-grader, said, "I think it's good to be helping people. It's real fun. It's good to know you're helping people."

On the white board at the front of the classroom last week as the students toiled on their projects was a drawing of the cycle of how their work will go back into their neighborhoods - along with the phrase, "My hands can make a difference."

When asked what he thought about that phrase, Dakota, as he painted on glaze to an unfinished bowl, replied "Our hands can make a difference."

The project, and the students' involvement, is important because it gives everyone a "hands-on opportunity" to give, Mrs. Brigman said.

"People can give money and people can learn about something, but when people do something with their hands, they're really invested in the project, and they have given of themselves in a very unique way," she said. "Each (Bonner) bowl has been made by a child. That is their gift, their talent. They are using their hands to help someone else. I think that's very powerful.

"If they can learn that as children, oh my goodness, that will carry through with them for the rest of their lives ... It's a tremendous learning experience for children."

FIlling EMPTY BOWLS

According to information from Marvin United Methodist Church, last year the "Empty Bowls" event raised more than $15,000 to erase hunger. This year the goal is $20,000.

In the last four years, Empty Bowls has helped provide more than 400,000 meals to those in need.

A silent auction, live auction and sale table will be a part of the event. A meal of soup, bread and dessert, donated by area restaurants and chefs, will be served.

Local artists have painted and designed more than 300 pottery, wood and ceramic bowls, not including the Bonner bowls, Mrs. Brigman said.

Tickets to the dinner and auction are $20 a person. Children 12 and under get in free if they bring a can of soup. There is a $50 family maximum.

For more information or to buy tickets, call the church at 903-592-7396.

Mrs. Brigman encourages the community to be a part of this.

"You're going to not only support these children who have worked so hard but it will also feed a lot of hungry people - thousands of hungry people will be fed because of this event," she said. "I really want the community to come out and show their support in a big way."

Fourth-grader Ricky Smith (left) puts the finishing touches on his clay bowl in his art class at Bonner Elementary on Thursday. Classmate Christian Martinez, 10, (in the background) dips his brush into paint that will be used to glaze the bowls when they are fired and are ready to be donated to the “Empty Bowls” auction.
(Staff Photo By Jaime R. Carrero)