(AP) — A Kansas fourth-grader says she thought she was going to die before her teacher saved her from choking on a mint.

The episode happened Thursday at the elementary school in the town of Grandview Plaza, located just east of Junction City.

Grandview Elementary teacher Stephanie Chabon (chuh-BAWN’) was about to administer a state assessment test when pupil Connie Nellis began choking on a mint.

Chabon says the 9-year-old girl jumped and started gesturing that she couldn’t breathe. Chabon administered the Heimlich maneuver, and the mint popped out after a couple of squeezes.

Connie got a drink of water, thanked her teacher and sat down to take the test.

Chabon says she’s been taking first aid classes since college and gets recertified each year.