Written by Lucia Winkler
On November 20th and 21st, GJHS staff and culinary students met to celebrate the “Stone Soup” event. The menu consisted of “stone soup,” garlic cheese bread, punch, and dessert. Inspired by an 18th century European folk story, GJHS’s Culinary Academy teacher Ms. Scott introduced Stone Soup to the school, attempting to encourage community between teachers and students beyond just school matters. It has come to be her favorite culinary event.
Prior to working at GJHS, Ms. Scott taught at a small, tight-knit school where everybody knew each other. To bring a more intimate feel to a large school, Ms. Scott looked to the traditional story of Stone Soup.
According to the story, a traveler, desperate for food, went from door to door in a village asking for food. However, there had been a famine, and each villager stashed food away for themselves. The traveler pulled a stone out of his bag, dropped it into a cooking pot, and invited the villagers to share “stone soup.” The villagers were reluctant to join but were persuaded upon hearing that the stone was magical. They even contributed the items they had stored away to make the soup better. When it was ready, the villagers joined together and enjoyed the soup. Of course, the magic stone was a hoax, but it had unified the villagers so they could collectively create something wonderful.
In the same way, Ms. Scott wanted to unify GJHS students and staff. So, each year the entire GJHS staff is invited to share the meal with culinary students. During the event, there are two conditions that must be followed: the meal must be eaten in the culinary classroom, and nobody can talk about school. This allows everyone to genuinely get to know each other and their interests.
Not only does this event cultivate relationships among teachers and students, but it also forges an inclusive environment that some students haven’t experienced themselves. “Students often come from families who don’t sit down for dinner together,” Ms. Scott remarks. “Stone Soup creates a new experience for them.” She also notes that some students face housing instability and do not have the opportunity to sit at a prepared table or have regular access to meals.
Stone Soup has become beloved by GJ staff and students. Some staff even come on both days. While many refer to the event in terms of the food’s tastiness, it’s clear that Ms. Scott was successful in her mission of creating a richer community at GJHS. Meaningful relationships can develop among Eagles who wouldn’t have ever spoken to each other if it weren’t for this event.
