The month of January has provided a wonderful tradition for Belleville High School’s student council members to engage in supporting an important cause in the memory of a humanitarian icon. Martin Luther King, Jr. who supported those in need, bolstered community efforts to achieve equity. Food insecurity is still one of the tables we strive to set enough place settings for in 2024, and BHS students are busily preparing to help their local food pantry through their efforts. Hosting the annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Soup Supper offers one night to help feed their community’s hunger on a larger level.
Handmade is the focus of this event — whether it be the act of preparing the meal, or throwing clay in the high school art room to provide one-of-a-kind soup bowls for diners; high school students are coming together under the guidance of Student Council Advisor Nicole Vesperman and BHS Art Teacher Jon Benash to make this fundraising event meaningful for their community. While student council students plan to offer three choices of soup in the school’s cafeteria; ceramics students and their art teacher are finishing beautiful hand-glazed bowls in the art room’s kiln. Jon Benash is excited to have about 120 unique soup bowls ready for diners to soup together on January 15th and the best part is — diners get to take their chosen bowl home after the meal!
Jon Benash is happy to use his ceramics’ art curriculum to help, noting: “It has been an incredible way for my art students and myself to use our creativity to make the event special each year, and I hope we can continue to find the resources to keep it going!”
The goal of this annual event is to raise money for the Belleville Food Pantry, so Student Council students have been planning the event which involves ordering the food items, event planning, and getting the word out by creating promotional materials inviting their local community members to come and support a worthy cause. It also offers a night when Belleville’s community can come together and socialize in a positive way. Intergenerational events like this one offer a place to reconnect while addressing a common need. It truly is a beautiful way to memorialize the work of the late Civil Rights leader MLK Jr. and make a difference on a local level.
Senior Class President Ava Patrow says, “I love how the MLK Soup Supper brings our community together. From the handmade bowls, to students preparing and serving soup to members of the community, to donating the proceeds to the Food Pantry — we are able to see how our work positively impacts all of Belleville.”
The Belleville High School Student Council will be hosting their annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Soup Supper on Monday, January 15, 2024. The event will take place in the BHS cafeteria from 5-7 p.m. They will be offering broccoli cheese soup, chicken noodle soup, or chili, along with a breadstick and a cookie or brownie. The cost is $9. Attendees may purchase tickets in advance through the school’s website: https://payments.
efundsforschools.com/v3/districts/56148 or at the door. Proceeds will benefit the Belleville Food Pantry.
— Marie Perry is the Communications Director for the School District of Belleville. She can be reached at perrym@belleville.k12.wi.us.
