Muppets teach kids to cope

Sesame Street character Elmo gives a high-five to a member of the audience at the completion of the Sesame Street USO Experience for Military Families show at Travis Air Force Base, Calif., June 6, 2016. The Sesame Street USO Experience for Military Families was a 35-minute show featuring four of the popular Sesame Street costumed characters, as well as Katie, a military child created especially for the USO. Katie appears in two shows, the “moving show” which depicts her leaving friends as she moves to a new base and the “transition show” in which her family is permanently separating from the military. (U.S. Air Force photo by Louis Briscese/Released)

Muppets teach kids to cope

Sesame Street characters Cookie Monster and Elmo perform dance moves during the Sesame Street USO Experience for Military Families show at Travis Air Force Base, Calif., June 6, 2016. The Sesame Street USO Experience for Military Families was a 35-minute show featuring four of the popular Sesame Street costumed characters, as well as Katie, a military child created especially for the USO. Katie appears in two shows, the “moving show” which depicts her leaving friends as she moves to a new base and the “transition show” in which her family is permanently separating from the military. (U.S. Air Force photo by Louis Briscese/Released)

Sesame Street teaches kids to cope

Published June 9, 2016
By Senior Airman Amber Carter
60th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs

TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – The Sesame Street/USO Experience for Military Families made a stop June 6 and 7 at Travis Air Force Base.

In the first show, Katie, a 6-year-old military-dependent Sesame Street character, finds out her family is moving to a new base. She is saddened by the news, but with a little encouragement from her Sesame Street friends, she becomes excited about going somewhere new.

“Katie was created specifically for this show,” said Nicole McClendon, entertainment tour producer. “We felt it was important for [military youth] to see someone just like them, other than being purple and fuzzy, in the show.”

Making its debut in 2008, the show was designed to help military families deal with the unique challenges they face.

“The USO, Department of Defense and the education center work together to keep the show fresh and new by presenting topics that represent what our military families are going through,” said McClendon. “Some of the topics we address in this show are moving and transitioning from military life to civilian life.”

Military families move, on average, once every three years. A permanent change of station can be challenging emotionally and physically, especially for the children of military families.

“My family is going to a new base,” said Katie. “It’s really far away.”

“Friends always find ways to keep in touch,” said Elmo. “Like sending each other letters.”

“Or sending cookies,” said Cookie Monster.

One of the songs performed by the Sesame Street characters encourages youth to be excited about a PCS by stating, “Things are always changing, but don’t be sad and blue. It should make you happy because it’s something new.”

In the second show, the newest storyline involves Katie’s family transitioning from military life to civilian life.

“It’s predicted that more than a million families will be transitioning out of military life in the next few years,” said McClendon.

Katie represents the military child who has only known the military lifestyle.

“I have moved a lot and a lot has changed for me,” said Katie. “Now my dad isn’t going to be in the military and things are changing even more and I’m nervous.”

“That’s a big change,” said Elmo. “But you’re not alone. Lots of families go through big changes like this … but many things won’t change.”

“Like my love for cookies,” said Cookie Monster.

“And the love of Katie’s family won’t change,” said Elmo.

More than 100 Travis families attended the two-day show.

“It speaks to the kids,” said Tech. Sgt. Cassandra Starcher, 60th Operations Support Squadron training manager. “Everyone thinks about support for the parents with different clubs and organizations to support adults. This show talks to just the kids and lets them know there is support out there for them and they aren’t alone.”

The tour has entertained more than 540,000 troops and military families, and has performed more than 1,000 shows on 149 military installations in 33 states and 11 countries.

“Travis is our sixth stop so far on our stateside tour this year,” McClendon said. “We started in Minot (Air Force Base, North Dakota) and are, basically, doing a counterclockwise circle around the United States.”

For more information about the tour visit uso.org/sesame.