RATHDRUM - Third-grader Samuel Wilt took a break from massaging clay under the guidance of Lakeland High's Brent Giera to make a revelation.

"It's like they're passing down to the new generation of pottery makers," Samuel said.

Samuel was describing Tuesday's pottery workshop in which Mark Worthen's third-grade John Brown Elementary class came to Sara Forsythe's pottery class at Lakeland High for some hands-on, peer-to-peer education.

"I think this day is very special because I've never been here and this is a new experience," Samuel said.

Giera worked with Samuel and third-grader Damian Cordle on the pottery art projects, which could turn into Christmas gifts.

Giera said he's just taking an interest in pottery his senior year. He wishes he would've been exposed to the art at a younger age as the third-graders were.

"It's nice to be able to teach the kids pottery," he said. "They seem to get a lot of enjoyment out of it."

Forsythe said the interaction between the third-graders and high-schoolers was beneficial to all sides.

"It demonstrates to me that my students know what they're doing," she said. "It's meaningful to the high-schoolers."

Forsythe said this class chose to invite the youngsters in for its community service project. Another class of hers made mugs for the school district office as a token of appreciation for keeping the art department around.

She said part of art culture historically has been to pass along the craft to the next generation - and the workshop did just that.

"High-schoolers get inspired when they see the ideas of kids," Forsythe said. "It's a powerful experience."

Worthen said he jumped at the offer of the "world's shortest field trip" - the high school is about a quarter of a mile from John Brown.

"There's a mystique for these kids to be able to come to the high school," he said. "It's one thing to hear about pottery, but it's another to be able to make something with it. It turned out great for us."