Teens at Brighton High School recently learned that life isn't a bowl of cherries for some kids.

For an "Empty Bowls" project to learn more about homeless youths, Brighton High art students created ceramic bowls, and culinary-arts students made homemade soups to fill the bowls. Students sold $10 tickets for a successful dinner fundraiser, collecting almost $2,000.

The school donated the money to the Homeless Youth Resource Center in Salt Lake City, a day shelter that provides food, clothing, showers and counseling to teens.

Educators chose the center because the Brighton High students are in the same age group as those at the center. The goal was service and compassion, with a lesson about community.

"It opened the students' eyes to kids in the community who may be struggling," said culinary-arts teacher Barbara Scrafford.

Guests were allowed to keep their ceramic bowls, and students sold an additional 200 bowls.

"The bowl is a constant reminder to them that there are always people out there who are hungry," said ceramics teacher Ani Ostendorff.

The teens served 110 people at the event. Guests received bread and could choose one of four homemade soups: clam chowder; chicken noodle; a Moroccan soup which includes chick peas, cumin and cinnamon; and a ribollita soup, which is like a Tuscan minestrone.

The event was held in The View, the school's restaurant.

E-mail: astewart@desnews.com