TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—Meet Gerald, Washington School’s friendly green monster, who has quickly become a beloved part of the school community.
Concocted by PSO volunteer Kristy O’Connor, Gerald began life as a creative solution to a practical problem. “We always struggled to collect enough candy for our annual Trunk or Treat,” said principal Melissa Palianto. “One of our wonderful PSO moms came up with the idea to decorate a trash can to look like a monster, and he became an instant sensation.”
Standing tall, fuzzy, and wide-mouthed, Gerald invited students to “feed” him candy donations for the school’s Halloween event. But what started as a fun project took on a life of its own. “He was stationed right outside my office,” Palianto said. “Kids would pass by and say, ‘Hi, Gerald!’ They’d give him hugs and high-fives. He just brought so much joy.”
The PSO leaned into the excitement, creating short videos of Gerald’s “adventures” around the school — stealing snacks, exploring hallways, and interacting with students and staff, and he starred in morning announcements.
“The kids loved it,” said school counselor Christina Santiago, noting the positive lift. “They were eager to come to school every day. He really boosted the mood here.”
Parents noticed the difference, too. Maureen Colombo, a school parent who first wrote to Pascack Press about Gerald and the PSO’s good work, said her son now looks forward to school more consistently because of the monster’s daily, playful company.
“As a family, we love re-watching his videos together. Gerald has become a beloved part of our school’s culture and community. His cheerful presence has a magical way of bringing people together and making everyone feel included,” Colombo said.
With Halloween handled admirably—Trunk or Treat fed the masses in artful style—Gerald isn’t headed for hibernation. The PSO plans to redecorate him for service drives, transforming him into a year-round ambassador for giving.
“Food drives, toy drives, clothing drives — anything where we want to involve families,” Palianto said. “He’s just a wonderful way to bring everyone together.”
For now, Gerald rests in the PSO closet, awaiting his next assignment — and, according to Palianto, students still peek in to check on him. “They’ll pass by and whisper, ‘Gerald’s in there!’” she said with a laugh. “We’re the Cardinals, but he’s kind of our second school mascot.”
‘Above and beyond’
Gerald’s creator, Kristy O’Connor, told Pascack Press on Oct. 29, “It turned out to be way better than I thought. It was a simple project — let’s create a monster to collect candy — and I always like to go a little bit above and beyond, so he needed real fur, and we needed to make him realistic, and we wanted to do it to bring the school community together.”
She said, “He turned out to be more than just a candy monster: He represented all the teamwork and generosity and the spirit of this school. And that’s exactly what we were looking for on this PSO board.”
O’Connor, who is in her first year with the PSO, said, “This is something that everybody took part in. To see the sparkle in the kids’ eyes, and how excited they were; to see him just walking through the halls, collecting candies… the whole school came together, even the teachers. This connected students, family, staff, everybody.”
O’Connor took to AI to “flip this into a cartoon,” and that turned into coloring fun for the students as well, so they could have their own Geralds.
She said she looked for inspiration online, including Pinterest, and bought her supplies from Home Depot and a craft store. On it all went: the fur in green, purple, and white; the fiercely friendly face; the tail (there’s a tail); his claws; his “monster wiggly things on the side.” All wrapped round 40 gallons of hungry tummy.
The project took some 14 hours: a labor of love.
O’Connor noted, “I didn’t do this for any recognition. I like to say under the radar. I like to do things for others.”
She added, with her voice catching: “My neighbor across the street, her daughter wrote a letter to Gerald on how much she misses him, and it, like, it just tickles me.”