Laughter and joy overflowed into the hallways of Granby Elementary School recently, as ventriloquist Sylvia Fletcher and her puppets stopped by to give students a lesson in anti-bullying.
Fletcher’s performance was designed to teach students the importance of not bullying and feeling comfortable with one another.
Through comedic messages, the program reinforced the significance of creating a climate in the school in which students feel safe and comfortable.
“Being different is cool, and being different is perfectly fine,” Fletcher told the students. “Feel good about yourself and then portray that to other people.”
Fletcher amazed students with a variety of props, voice alterations and even simple inanimate objects.
Part of her act included a puppet named Smolder, a lovable, yet disobedient, polka dotted dragon with an affinity for spontaneous singing and troublemaking. When Smolder was put back into Fletcher’s “Magic Box,” students pleaded for an encore performance from the stuffed dragon. Moments later, Fletcher granted their wish, and applause echoed throughout the cafeteria.
The greatest excitement of the event, however, came when Fletcher turned two teachers into real-life puppets.
Wearing costumes complete with a mask, teachers Anna Clark and John Carmody were left defenseless as Fletcher controlled their movements in hilarious fashion, often making the two dance and sing in unison.
Fletcher’s engaging and exciting messages left students laughing while supporting Granby’s expectations regarding bullying, said Principal Heather Perry.
“Sylvia’s performance reinforced our PBIS expectation, be safe, as well as anti-bullying. We are holding assemblies to reinforce a culture where all students feel safe and comfortable talking about bullying,” Perry said.
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