Hamilton woman remembers her high school teacher as 'the real deal.' Maybe you've heard of Tim Walz

When Amanda Hinklethinks about her time in high school in Minnesota, she remembers a geography teacher who kept the class engaged and volunteered after school to help build the theatre sets she designed.

There are probably lots of people in Hamilton who have fond memories of their teachers. ButHinkle'smemories areunique in that, by this time next month, Tim Walzmight be voted in as U.S.vice-president.

"Growing up, everyone's always poo-pooing politicians and saying they're crooked. I've just always known him to be one of the most loving and caring adults in my life, and I can't imagine a better person for this role," Hinkle said. "He is the real deal."

Hinkle, who lives in Hamilton'sKirkendall neighbourhood, moved to the cityin 2018.

Born and raised in the United States, shestarted attending Mankato West High School in Mankato, Minn., in 1997. Shewas in a class taught by Walz, now Minnesota's governorandthe Democratic nomineefor vice-president who'srunning alongside presidential candidate Kamala Harris. They'reup againstRepublican presidential nominee Donald Trumpand his choice for vice-president, J.D.Vance, forthe Nov. 5 election.

Hinklealso got lessons fromWalz's wife Gwen, who taught humanities and helpedwith the school play. Now an educator in the theatre world, the expatriatesaid she learned a lot from both of themandhasfollowed Walz's political career.

Recently,Hinklewas a guest at the Democratic Party's summer conventionand an organizer of an online rally.

She said she has numerous positive memories about Tim and Gwen Walz, andcalled themthe "cutest couple in the school."

Tim "has just always been a really transparent educator. He'll tell you if he doesn't know something," Hinklesaid.

Walz has received some criticism to the contrary on the campaign trail.

For example, hehas inflated his military rank andsaid his family used one form of fertility treatment, later saying they had used another.Walz alsorepeatedly saidhe was in Hong Kong during China's 1989 student uprising, which was not true.

At this month'svice-presidentialdebate,wheremoderators put both Vance and Walz on the spotabout politically problematic parts of their records, Walz was asked about the Hong Kong claim.

He did not initially answer the question, saying, "I will talk a lot. I will get caught up in the rhetoric," but eventually said: "I got there that summer and misspoke."

For her part, Hinkleremembers Walz set a positive example when it came to supporting others in the community. He was faculty adviser to the gay-straight-alliance club her friend Jake Reitan started. She also remembers him encouraging students to volunteer their help when there was a natural disaster in a nearby community.

The lesson Hinkle took from that? "No matter how you vote, we help our neighbours."

"I feel like a lot of my classmates have really risen to that occasion and are trying to make changes in their own community on a lot of different levels, in a lot of different careers."

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Hinklenow works as the director of education for Strike Anywhere Performance Ensemble, which is based in New York. She's on the board of directors ofthe Hamilton arts organization Centre3and is active in the city's theatre scene.

She's "kept tabs" on Walz's career. Her mom worked on his 2006 congressional campaignand she has former classmates who now work for him, Hinkle said.

This past summer, Hinkle said, Reitan invited her to the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, during which he spoke in a video. She got to sit with a group of Walz supporters, which included more of his former students. She and several others made and wore campaign bracelets similar to the kind Taylor Swift fans make.

"It was wild," Hinkle said. "We were just screaming louder and louder."

After her first day there, she joined supporters at a brunch attended byTim and Gwen Walz. Hinkle got to speak with them and give Gwen a bracelet her mom made.

"It was just great to thank them for all their work and get to celebrate with them," Hinkle said, adding that Tim is "exactly the same as on TV."

About a month later, Hinkle worked with a group to host an online campaign event where Gwen was speaking. Hinkle facilitated the conversation, which she said was largely around reproductive freedom.

Hinkle said she's "fired up" to vote in the U.S. election, which she will do by mail. She said she "loved" President Joe Biden and feels Harris, is vice-presient, is "super qualified" to replace him in the top job, but she's particularly excited by Walz's inclusion on the ticket.

"As someone who already is a governor, and who has served in Congress, and who has served in the military and been a teacher, he has got it all."

Burlington, Ont., resident and Democrats Abroad volunteer Tracy Hudson told CBC Hamiltonin Septemberthatvoting in U.S. elections is important for millions of expats and their children, who are often eligible to vote.

When she meets expats who don't vote, Hudson said, she reminds them that Americans abroad still file taxes in the U.S.

"We fought a revolution over no taxation without representation, so if you file taxes, you should be voting," she said.

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For Hinkle, it's been "surreal" to have her high school geography teacher thrust onto the world stage.

"It's just wild to see your teacher at this level and have the whole world want to know everything about them."

But ahead of the closely watched U.S. election, she's feeling confident.

"We're in such great hands," she said. "I think we're going to be OK."