Her routine starts by tying on her cupcake apron, washing her hands, and then preheating the oven to 350 degrees. This month, she's making peppermint brownie bites.
For Mallory, baking has become much more than a hobby. She recently teamed up with her best friend Katie to sell baked goods to raise money for young girls in foster care – a cause that hits especially close to home for Mallory and her family.
"Mallory’s family is quite exceptional because they are very focused on giving back to the community - and giving back not only with their church with their volunteer time, but also with children who are in foster care. Her parents have set an excellent example of how you want to treat others and how you want to care for them regardless of the background they’re coming from," said Bronwyn Vaughan, TISD Advanced Academic Director.
"I just decided if I was in foster care I would like to receive something great, and I had a passion for baking so I decided to do Mallory Kate - Sweets for Hope," Mallory said.
Mallory makes a different type of baked good each month and sells them to her teachers, family friends, and people at her church. The money raised is spent on care packages for young girls in foster care. Each care package comes with a gift card, a journal, and a special treat.
Her teachers hope this big project, for such a little girl, sets a positive example for other students.
"It just warms my heart. She is an excellent example to the other students. She is an excellent example to the teachers especially when she comes and explains why she is selling her products," Mrs. Vaughan said. "You know when adults talk about how to treat others, that’s good and it needs to happen, but it’s always different when you see a peer actually putting a belief into action because it makes it so much more relevant."
"It’s important to do things for other people because if you do things for other people when you’re younger, then when you’re older it will make you a better person possibly," Mallory said.
For more information or to donate, visit facebook.com/mallorykate2017