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The Providence School once again opened its doors to community members for its 12th-annual Empty Bowl Lunch. 

This is an effort that includes creating the bowls from scratch throughout the year, cooking a hearty winter lunch, and serving patrons from the public.

A couple hundred colorful bowls created by students filled two tables in the cafeteria, with community members, local dignitaries, and former students lining up to pick out their favorite bowls for $15 each. This cost also paid for a meal made by art and discovery teacher Liz Spurlock, who started the empty bowl lunch in 2006, and her students. 

Art and discovery teacher Sarah Prewitt has been leading the charge for Empty Bowl Lunch since 2023 with Spurlock still helping out beside Prewitt.

“We did have fewer bowls made this year, but that’s just because our class sizes are so small and individualized for our students. We probably had 18 kids total working on the project this year who made over 260 bowls. That’s still a lot for 18 kids, and last year we made 285 with about 25-28 students. The students were dedicated to the project, they believed in Spurlock’s mission when she started the project years ago. Without support from staff and the students’ willingness and ability to do this, it wouldn’t happen,” Prewitt said.

After just 30 minutes, the cafeteria was full of visitors eating their lunches with their newly purchased bowls.

Assistant Principal, Silvester Turner has been at the school for 24 years. It’s currently his seventh year as assistant principal. “This event warms my heart because I see the kids when they pour themselves into the bowls. I see the teachers, Ms. Spurlock and Ms. Prewitt, how much they pour themselves into the bowls, but also the final products. When you see them, you’re like, wow! When the kids first started, they didn’t know anything about doing pottery, and then this is the end product. I love it.” Turner said. 

Jaylin Beeman is an 11th-grade student at Providence, and served soup at the lunch. She has goals to go to Eastern Kentucky University to become a social worker, or a child therapist, with a backup plan of going to nursing school.

“I made the bowls in art class, and then they asked me if I could help Spurlock cook, and I was okay with that, so I did. I made a snowman bowl, a Grinch bowl, and a Hello Kitty one,” Beeman said.

Kaden Dunn, a 12th-grade student at Providence, served the pimento and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. He wants to join the country’s essential labor force, with the goal of going into construction after graduation. 

“I painted the bowls with Batman, The Flash, and Beetlejuice, and made some of the food. I helped make the chilli and the sandwiches. (This event) makes us students feel good, but at the same time I’m like dang it’s too early for this!” Dunn said, laughing at his light-hearted joke.

This year is Jessamine County Superintendent Sara Crum’s first time attending the event in her new position. She had previously attended the event every year as the Director of Operations at the school district. 

“It brings our school community and the outside community all together around a really great cause. Our kids learn a lot from serving others and preparing the bowls, and the food. It’s a nice showcase for them to share their goals and talents,” Crum said.

At the same table was Assistant Superintendent and Chief Administration Officer of the Board of Education, Hannah Campbell. She had just finished her meal and said, “It was great! I had the chili, it was excellent.” Campbell also attends this event every year, stating she always opts for the chili and pimento cheese sandwich: both southern classics. 

Denise Adams opened the Providence School as its first principal, and she’s been attending this lunch since the event was started by Spurlock when Adams was still the principal. She had several bowls purchased for Christmas gifts, and one for herself. 

“I love this event, I hope it continues when Spurlock retires, and I’m afraid she’s probably nearing retirement! Ms. Spurlock was the driving force for the event. I think Sarah (Prewitt) will continue it and I hope there’s backing for that,” Adams said.

Just like every year, the profits from the Empty Bowl Lunch go towards supporting the program next year, and purchasing a family a meal for Christmas Dinner. 

The homemade potato soup and chili wafted through the school hallways on the way into the cafeteria, ready to warm up the bellies of visitors. 

The meal included your choice of soup, your choice of sandwich, and homemade cookies and cookie bars, with lemonade and tea to drink. In addition to creating the bowls from scratch and cooking the food, the students served the food and offered assistance to guests who needed help bringing their meal to the table.

Providence School Principal Justin Yeary said this annual event is “very rewarding for the kids. They get to see something they created that somebody else wants to buy. I think it means a lot to our kids, and there’s a lot of excitement for them to get to make the bowls and see that people want to buy their work. There’s a lot of significance in that. This event is a great way for the community to come together while supporting our school, getting a meal, and getting a really cool bowl to keep.”