Souperintendent's Souper Bowl kicks off in BCPS

Burke County families can start loading their children’s bags with cans of nonperishable items and shipping them off to school for the annual Souperintendent’s Souper Bowl Canned Food Drive.

Over the past 12 years, Burke County Public Schools has collected more than 300,000 pounds of food, with the exception of 2020, when COVID-19 disrupted in-person learning.

This year, Superintendent Dr. Mike Swan kicked the drive off earlier than planned, hoping to encourage students and teachers alike to fill collection barrels to the brim by the time of the NFL’s Super Bowl in February.

“Burke County is a very giving community and our students and staff never cease to amaze me on how they rally for this annual food drive,” Swan said.

According to Public Relations Officer Cheryl Shuffler, the incentives to perform well vary by school, with some principals offering extended recess and the opportunity to watch them get pied in the face, among other unique rewards.

One previous East Burke High School (EBHS) principal, Katie Moore, kissed a pig and got taped to a column — in separate years, of course.

Although it isn’t a competition, the past two years of intake, 32,000 pounds in 2024 and 29,400 in 2025, make keeping the momentum a steep hill to climb.

“To say our principals are competitive is an understatement,” Swan said. “I can’t wait to see the creative things they will come up with this year to encourage giving.”

All collected food is distributed to Burke United Christian Ministries, Glen Alpine United Methodist Church, East Burke Christian Ministries, Abernethy Memorial United Methodist Church in Rutherford College, Waldensian Presbyterian in Valdese, EBHS, and Forest Hill Elementary food pantries.

In an October interview discussing the EBHS and Forest Hill food pantries she operates, Forest Hill Principal Nikki Costello said, “Honestly, the donations pretty much run the pantry … For the past five (to) eight years, the Souperintendent’s Souper Bowl has been what really tides us over.”

While green beans and corn are most people’s go-to donation items, she prompted the public to think outside the box as well — consider SpaghettiOs, tuna, and other pop-top nonperishables.

No matter the donation, be sure it’s not the expired can that’s been in the back of the cabinet for several years. Food banks often remove spoiled food before distribution.

In a November interview, Burke United Christian Ministries Executive Director Alice Horton said, “We get donations all the time, but if it’s inedible, we spend more time going through the items to make sure that there’s something that we can put together to actually serve the public.”

Shuffler said students have until Feb. 13, the Friday after the Super Bowl, to donate.

“Our entire community benefits from this,” Swan said. “This is a slow time of year for food banks after the holidays, so it’s a chance to help restock their shelves. It also is a great way to teach our students about being servant leaders and giving back.”