The Life Skills class at Pleasant Valley Middle School held a Souper Bowl for the staff on Friday. This was the second year for the event.

Randy Hinton, a life skills teacher, said she and her students wanted to do something special for the staff.

“It is a thank you for all staff for all they do for our kids,” she said. “This is our way of showing the staff how much we appreciate them.”

Hinton teaches life skills to children with special needs. Her students learn skills they will need to use every day, such as cooking, cleaning, shopping, socializing, prevocational skills, and more. They learn the skills they will need to lead independent lives.

In addition to being a thank you, throwing the party was also an opportunity for the students to put into practice some of the skills they have been learning.

“The students are taught to do everything from the beginning,” Hinton said.

They start with coming up for a reason for the party.

Originally, the idea was to hold a Super Bowl party for the staff, Hinton said.

“It quickly turned into a Souper Bowl party,” she said and they decided to serve soup.

Next, the students prepared a list of the people they wanted to invite. They researched a theme and agreed on it, Hinton said. From there, they got to work on the details: decorations, food, music, games and more.

They prepared a shopping list, bought the items, followed the recipes, and set up a buffet style party. There were 10 different soups and chilies, along with a variety of condiments, and an array of sweets for dessert.

The Souper Bowl party was held in the classroom where the students learn to cook and other independent living skills.

Decorations hung from the ceiling at the entrance to the classroom and Super Bowl themed decorations also hung from the ceiling in the classroom and the tables were covered with football field tablecloths. There was even a football cake made from cupcakes and a game at the entrance where staff could pick who they thought would win the Super Bowl.

In preparing for the day, the students also learned social skills so they would know how to talk with their guests, Hinton said.

The day gave her students a chance to try out their mingling skills, but the best thing about it for her, Hinton said, are “the smiles on the kids faces, the excitement they have preparing the food, delivering invitations, and getting the room decorated. Seeing the joy and smiles on their faces when the guests arrive is priceless.”