When HFM BOCES Career and Technical Education (CTE) students took part in the recent Empty Bowls fundraiser, Oppenheim-Ephratah-St. Johnsville junior Delany Burk found herself doing more than preparing soup.
A Culinary Arts student, Burk helped prepare chicken and wild rice soup for the annual event, which raises money to support the Catholic Charities of Fulton and Montgomery Counties Food Pantry. The event also helped her gain confidence, connect with community members and learn how the skills she’s developing in the kitchen can help others.
OESJ junior Delany Burk, a student in the HFM BOCES Career and Technical Education Culinary Arts program, stirs a pot on a commercial stove during food preparation in the culinary kitchen.
For Burk, one of the highlights of the evening was interacting with community members who came out to support the cause.
“My favorite part was serving the soup because I could talk to people, and they would tell me how good it was,” Burk said. “It made me feel good because we helped do this.”
The annual fundraiser is a collaborative effort. Catholic Charities of Fulton and Montgomery Counties organizes the event, local high school art students create and donate handcrafted pottery bowls purchased by attendees, and HFM BOCES CTE students prepare the soups, chili and macaroni and cheese served during the event. Nearly 200 community members attended this year’s fundraiser, helping raise almost $50,000 to support the Catholic Charities of Fulton and Montgomery Counties Food Pantry.
The fundraiser helps address an important need in the local community. In 2025, Catholic Charities of Fulton and Montgomery Counties assisted more than 6,500 individuals and nearly 600 families through its food pantry and related food assistance efforts.
Burk said the event helped her grow personally.
“I usually keep to myself, but this event made me come out of my shell a bit and be more outgoing,” she said.
Burk said being asked to serve community members on her own helped boost her confidence.
“I was scared at first when Mrs. Buley put me by myself, but then I thought she trusts me to do it on my own.”
She said seeing community members enjoy the food prepared by fellow CTE students made all the hard work worth it.
Burk said Mrs. Buley encourages students to try new things and build confidence in themselves.
“She is an amazing instructor,” Burk said. “She helps me with my work, and she brings everyone out of their comfort zone.”
Looking back on the event, Burk said she would gladly participate in similar CTE events in the future.
“It was a really good event. I would do it again next year, and I want to put myself into more events like this down the road.”
