Students in the ceramics I and II classes at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College’s Jefferson Davis Campus raised $885 for the Back Bay Mission as part of their service-learning project during the fall semester. Instructor Matthew Steadman presented the check to the Rev. Shari Prestemon, director of the mission, during December.
“Donations are much needed at this time of the year,” Prestemon said. “We are thrilled to receive this check, and the effort they have put into this project is deeply appreciated. I hope we have an ongoing partnership with Matthew and his students.”
The funds were raised through the sale of plates and bowls students made in class. They sold for $10 each and were primarily sold to students and employees at the Jefferson Davis Campus. “This was the first time we tried this project,” Steadman said. “It was such a success, we hope to expand it for spring semester and maybe even get other visual-arts classes involved in the project next year, and maybe even open the sale to the public.”
Steadman said that students spent much of the semester working on the plates and bowls. “It is a time-intensive process. First, we have to make the clay, and then the plates are made by hand. The bowls are thrown on the pottery wheel. Each piece has to be fired twice, so that really takes time.”
Gretchen Brann, a sophomore in the Associate Degree Nursing program and a student in Steadman’s ceramics I class, said the project was worthwhile. “I think we have all learned a lot from this project,” she said. “Not only have we learned how difficult it is to make numerous pieces that are worthy of selling, we also learned that selling your work is a skill in itself. Most of all, we learned that it is absolutely wonderful to able to give back to our community through the work we do in this class.”
