Callaway Hills Elementary students making apple butter

A-peeling collaboration in mentoring project

Callaway Hills kindergarteners and their fifth-grade mentors work together Friday morning to cut apples into very small pieces to go into the crockpot Monday to make apple butter. Seated clockwise, from left are: Clayton Drinkard, Dennis Miller, Kaylee Hiatte, Madison Gardner, Carly Bell and Trent Ford. Drinkard and Hiatte are fifth-grade mentors to the kindergarten students. Several students said they had not tasted apple butter before so were excited to give it a try.
Callaway Hills kindergarteners and their fifth-grade mentors work together Friday morning to cut apples into very small pieces to go into the crockpot Monday to make apple butter. Seated clockwise, from left are: Clayton Drinkard, Dennis Miller, Kaylee Hiatte, Madison Gardner, Carly Bell and Trent Ford. Drinkard and Hiatte are fifth-grade mentors to the kindergarten students. Several students said they had not tasted apple butter before so were excited to give it a try.

HOLTS SUMMIT, Mo. -- The little hands of fifth-graders and kindergartners sawed red apple slices into bite-sized chunks in preparation for the apple butter they'll be making next week.

On Friday, the Callaway Hills Elementary School students worked together as part of a mentoring collaboration between the two grades, said kindergarten teacher Jan Owens.

Making apple butter is a yearly tradition before Thanksgiving. Not knowing what apple butter was didn't stifle the excitement of the students who were having fun working together in small groups.

"I like to cut apples," said kindergartner Zion Chester.

He said he's never had apple butter before, but was fairly certain it tastes good.

The two grades get together about once every two weeks. The older students act as leaders and help reinforce responsibility, respectfulness and being safe, Owens said.

When they work together, they read to each other and play games, she said. It helps them build relationships with each other.

Jack Yeager, 11, said this was his first time working with the kindergartners and he was having a blast.

"My favorite part is teaching them how to use stuff," Yeager said. "It teaches me that, man, I was like that at one point, too, not knowing how to do anything. It teaches me how I can help teach them."

Owens will take the apple slices home over the weekend. On Monday, the group will mix in spices to make the apple butter.