Sometimes the world needs a little, 14-inch hero.  In March of 2020, the world shut down, and doors of necessity stood open, waiting for this little hero. 

Enter Walter. 

Walter is a puppet of unknown origin, a little more than a foot tall, who sat in a storage bin for years, purchased with an unrealized purpose, and then essentially forgotten.  So, when elementary schools were looking for ways to keep kids and teachers connected, Walter was tapped for the task.  

Two teachers at our elementary school in Western, NY split duties in creating a Morning Program video every week, to celebrate birthdays, make announcements, entertain, and keep some semblance of normalcy.  Walter stood in every other week to do his part. A little old man in a checkered tie and blue sportscoat was a far better option than looking at the teacher who operated him on screen.  Trust us on that. 

One of the teachers and Walter added some online bedtime stories, while the other would produce our school’s  Live Video Morning Announcements.  The first the school ever produced.  Big shut down, little doors opened, people stepped up. 

Walter would be called on to host online birthday parties, send personal message videos, and connect with kids any way parents asked.  For a few years, Walter lived the life of a mini celebrity.  Then, thankfully, normalcy returned, and Walter played a supporting role in a fourth-grade classroom.  End of chapter.