The tradition continues as Idaho Falls District #91 launches its 20th annual Souper Bowl.
The Souper Bowl plays off of the rivalry between Idaho Falls High School and Skyline High School, where the two schools compete to collect as many cans or financial donations as possible for the Idaho Falls Community Food Basket.
“We have a rich tradition here in Idaho Falls with our crosstown rivalry between Idaho Falls High School and Skyline High School,” said Heather Pfeifer, the student advisor at Idaho Falls High School. “So, leaning into that rivalry, our community members definitely love it, they love supporting their old high schools. And it’s actually the 20th year of the Souper Bowl, so it’s been really fun to kind of step into something that’s so drenched in tradition.”
Pfeifer is in her first year as the student council advisor at Idaho Falls High School and has been teaching there for three years. She teaches a student government class that focuses on different leadership styles.
“This community service project is just a fantastic and unique opportunity for us to lean into service leadership and really see how we can be leaders through serving our community,” Pfeifer said. “So, that’s been fantastic to see in my students.”
The rivalry is intense, but Pfeifer says she enjoys seeing her students shift their mindset to something more service oriented.
“What’s been really great is to see students have a different lens and think about the greater good,” Pfeifer said. “So, yes we want to beat Skyline, but they’re also having an eye towards the benefit to the community here, with it being the second largest food drive.”
Pfeifer explains that the Souper Bowl is the second largest food drive for the Idaho Falls Community Basket. Last year, both schools received 46,621 cans and $7,151 in financial donations combined. This year, they’re hoping to raise around 100,000 cans to help struggling families who may be closer than you think.
“I really think the food basket said it best to my students – hunger has no look, and you really have no idea what the person next to you is going through” Pfeifer said. “So, there’s definitely a huge benefit to our students through the community food basket as well.”
The Souper Bowl kicked off this past Monday and will run through Friday, Feb. 6.
You can donate cans to your preferred school and make monetary donations at the Idaho Falls Community Food Basket website.