The best part of a middle-schooler's day

Wally Richardson, 94, was a Navy pilot in WWII and the Korean War. A few years ago, he decided to get up every morning in time to greet students at 7:15 a.m. in front of Marina Village Middle School in El Dorado, California. He stands outside the school on the front steps and greets them with fist-bumps and Wallyisms which students know by heart. Wally: "Be kind whenever possible." Kids: "It's always possible." Wally: Judging others does not define who they are." Kids: "It defines who you are." Wally: "Never look down on anyone." Kids: "Unless you're helping them up."

Students' faces light up when they get a dose of Wally's words, even when he reminds them to tie their shoes. Kids gravitate to him and listen intently. One middle-schooler named Audrey told her mom, "He talks about kindness and gives us advice and fist bumps. It's the best part of the day."There are kids now in college who still remember how he greeted them when they walked to middle school, and recently three students received permission to paint his sayings on "Wally's Wall" at the school, to show how much they appreciate him. "It's so special," said Wally, "that kids would do something like that for me."