Long Island Ducks Visit Fifth Avenue Thanks To Essay Winner

Megan Heffernan, a third-grader from Fifth Avenue Elementary School in the Northport-East Northport School District, won TD Bank’s “Take a Duck to Class” essay contest this month.

For this contest, the essay prompt asked “Who is a hero in your community, and why?” Students were required to answer in 250 words or less, and submit their essay online. Megan’s winning entry, chosen from a pool of thousands of essays, was one of four island-wide. The essay focused on her father — the Chief of the East Northport Fire Department, a police officer and an Army veteran. On Jan. 12, the Long Island Ducks and TD Bank representatives visited Megan and her peers at school, and held a special assembly to honor both Megan and her father. Megan was given an opportunity to read her essay in front of her classmates and family members.

“He helps so many people in so many ways,” Megan read aloud. “He is generous, kind, brave…and has a huge heart.”

Afterwards, TD Bank representatives presented Megan with a $50 Visa gift card to congratulate her for her winning essay — and the Ducks’ mascot QuackerJack made a special appearance to the delight of all the children.

Megan and her classmates then had their own special session with the mascot, where they were given bags filled with items courtesy of TD Bank and the Long Island Ducks, and had the opportunity to have those items autographed. The students concluded the visit dancing with QuackerJack to the “YMCA”, which is a tradition at Long Island Ducks games.

Story, Photo courtesy of the Northport East Northport Union Free School District :

1. Fifth Avenue students from Ms. Pam Lynch’s class were excited to have the Long Island Ducks visit on Jan. 12.
2. Third-grader Megan Heffernan won TD Banks “Take a Duck to Class” essay contest, where she honored her father as her hero on Jan. 12.
3. QuackerJack congratulated Fifth Avenue third-grader Megan Heffernan for the essay she wrote on her father, her community hero.
4. Third-graders from Ms. Pam Lynch’s class at Fifth Avenue Elementary School enjoyed getting autographs from the Long Island Ducks’ mascot QuackerJack on Jan. 12.