Hundreds of Temecula Valley High School students have been toiling over pottery wheels for the last 10 weeks, creating bowls to be sold at a fundraiser designed to raise money to help feed the hungry.

Empty Bowls will be held from 5 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday in the mini gymnasium at the school. For a $10 donation, participants will receive a bowl of soup and be able to keep the handmade bowl it's served in.

More than 1,000 bowls are expected to be available. Organizers hope to sell them all, with a goal of raising $10,000 to be given to two local food banks as well as an organization that is feeding people in Haiti.

Bowls were made and decorated by students in ceramics classes and others who participated during an enrichment class as part of the school's success period.

Soup, bread and beverages were donated by more than two dozen local restaurants and businesses.

Teacher Meline Akashian brought the idea to the campus after seeing a similar event at a friend's church in Pasadena. The movement started at a North Carolina high school, she said.

Temecula Valley's event will include entertainment and a video that chronicles the project.

In addition to making bowls, students have been working to publicize the fundraiser and collect donations from restaurants and other businesses.

"I don't think we knew what we were getting ourselves into," said Peter Minegar, a 17-year-old senior, who is overseeing the video. "It's amazing how people came out of nowhere to help us."

Akashian said she wanted to think big with the project and go beyond the typical bake sale fundraiser.

"What has been really fun and satisfying is how many people became involved," she said. "The kids are real excited."

Senior Tracy Rheaume, 17, another organizer, said she's impressed by the support the project has seen.

"Everyone is helping out, which has been awesome," she said. "It's touching that our generation is still willing to help, willing to do our part."

Rheaume hopes the project will continued in the future.

"It's our senior year and we wanted to leave with a lasting impression," she said. "We wanted to do something that would impact the school. ... In my four years here, nothing has been so dramatic to draw the whole school together."

Senior Karly Kaliher, 18, who was making her eighth bowl on a recent Thursday, said she gets satisfaction from knowing she's assisting a charity.

"I figured it's a good way to help out," she said. "The school's getting really involved. Everyone likes to do it."

Ceramics teacher Tom Brown, who is overseeing 190 ceramics students and 65 from the enrichment class, said the project is worth the effort.

"These kids have really responded," Brown said. "They have thrown their hearts into it.

Proceeds will go to organizations that fight hunger ---- the Temecula Community Pantry, Temecula-Murrieta Rescue Mission and Food For The Poor, which is fighting hunger in Haiti.

Junior Evan Borgeson, 16, said he was moved during a recent visit to the Community Pantry.

"It looks like something I wouldn't want to see in Temecula," he said.

Minegar told of a man he met at the food pantry who has worked on farms in the area since 1962 and was making his first visit to the pantry for assistance.

"I don't think I realized the need that is here right now," Minegar said.

That is part of the lesson Akashian wants to get across.

"(Students) got to jump in before they understood what the need is," she said. "Part of the goal of the event is to raise awareness of hunger issues in our community and in the world."

Call staff writer Craig Shultz at 951-676-4315, ext. 2625.

If you go

-- What: Empty Bowls fundraiser

-- When: 5 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday

-- Where: Temecula Valley High mini gym, 31555 Rancho Vista Road

-- Details: Ceramic bowls of soup can be purchased for $10, with proceeds going to agencies that provide food to needy people. There also will be entertainment from school groups, teachers and local bands.

-- Information and advanced tickets: tvhs1.tvusd.k12.ca.us/emptybowls