Elbow-deep in muddy clay at potter's wheels, Thomas Worthington High School ceramics students created 100 colorful ceramic bowls for the annual Empty Bowl Dinner.

This year's dinner will be held from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Feb. 18 in the cafeteria at Thomas Worthington High School, 300 W. Dublin-Granville Road.

Those who attend will receive a handmade bowl or mug and a simple soup supper for a $10 donation to Children's Hunger Alliance.

Soups, including vegetarian options, will be prepared by the school's Food and Fitness classes.

The dinner is timed to coordinate with the musical production of My Fair Lady, to be performed at 8 p.m. in the auditorium.

Teacher Alan Spencer said students and ceramics teachers created 100 bowls and 24 mugs for the dinner.

"No reservations need to be made for dinner," Spencer said. "People are welcome to pay at the door for the event. We will serve soup and sell bowls as long as the supplies last."

Senior Caitie Sheban has been making bowls on the potter's wheel for the past four years in ceramic classes at Thomas.

She said the process of making a bowl begins with centering a wedge of clay on the wheel.

"We have a machine that stirs the clay and wedges it, then we take a chunk and center the clay on the wheel," she said. "You have to really use your body weight and keep your hands steady. Once you get past that, you push a hole down the middle of the clay and pinch out the sides."

Sheban said she was fascinated by the potter's wheel early on and got better and better at creating bowls.

"Some students don't like it and there are other ways to make bowls, with molds and coils, but I really like the wheel," she said.

After the bowl is created on the wheel, it has to dry, then is fired in a kiln.

"After the first firing, you can glaze the bowl however you want; then it is fired again," Sheban said. "It's a fun process, because once you know how, it only takes about 10 minutes to throw one on the wheel."

Sheban said she has been recruiting people to make more bowls for the event this year.

"It's a fun evening," she said. "It's cool to see how all the bowls turn out and it is a social dinner, where everyone comes in and you see friends and parents. It's a lot of fun for a good cause."

Sheban plans to major in engineering when she goes to college this fall, but hopes to continue creating ceramic art.

"It won't be my major, but I'd love to get a pass to go into the college art studio," she said.

Her top college choices so far are University of Colorado at Boulder and University of Vermont.

Spencer said the dinner usually includes bread donated by Panera, brownies for dessert and a beverage.

The event will include a silent auction of more bowls and vases made by students and art teachers, he said.

Last year's dinner raised $1,500 for Children's Hunger Alliance.

This is Spencer's eighth year heading the project.

"I lend my time because I believe it is important to give back to the community and to share my skills of creating artwork to help benefit others," he said. "The students can also be proud that they have learned a new skill, such as working on the potter's wheel, to create an item with their own hands that can be sold to help fight hunger in our community.

"It is enjoyable to get kids to recognize that they can utilize the skills they learn in class to help benefit someone else in need," he said.

Seniors Sheban, Erin Tope, Katie Chu and Samantha Carpenter all helped with the event this year, he said. All have taken four semesters of ceramics at Thomas.

Those who would like to purchase a bowl but cannot attend the supper event may call Spencer in the art department at 614-883-2250, ext. 4457.