Since she was just two years old, sophomore Jordan Cox has been attending Peewinkle’s Puppet Studio at the Indiana State Museum.

For about eight years until Cox was 10 years old, she was at the studio as a young audience member excited to watch whatever show was about to be performed by puppets on the stage in front of her. Now, she is there to help prepare for the shows, control the lighting for the stage and check in the children spectating the show.

“I go there an hour before the show starts, and I am basically dressed in all black and there is usually some other kids that are there. They help me get the show ready to go,” Cox said. “I do the lights there, so I have to preset the lights (before each show).”

Cox’s job has not always been to work with the lights. From when she started working there, she has worked her way up the totem poll. Now, she works as a light technician and senior apprentice, helping with puppet camps and workshops.

Executive director Debbi White says Cox is always proactive and always ready to work and jump in when she is needed. White also says that she is the only puppeteer in progress (PIP) that she trust to be in charge when she is not present. She often takes charge of tickets, the box office and sales.

Cox has been working for years to get to where she is now, and this job means a lot to her and takes up a significant part of her life. White has seen the positivity that Cox has both received and put out. She explained how Cox is always “warm” and full of compliments for the young PIPs and is often favored by many people involved with the shows and camps. This has been a major and important part of Cox’s life.

“I cannot put a finger on what it is specifically that makes me want to keep going back, but I just want to keep going back because it is so much fun,” Cox said.”I would say it is like a safe house to me, because I could be having the worst week and then go work there, and it feels like none of it even happened.”