Kindergartner’s Essay Highlights ‘Hero’ Dad
/By Janee Law
jlaw@longislandergroup.com
The Long Island Ducks and their mascot QuackerJack attended Harley Avenue Primary School on Jan. 26 to congratulate kindergartener Madelyn Moreno on winning the “Take a Duck to Class” essay contest.
For Madelyn Moreno, a kindergartner at Elwood’s Harley Avenue Primary School, her hero doesn’t wear a cape or a mask. Her hero is a volunteer firefighter at the Centerport Fire Department who also happens to be her father, Luis.
Moreno wrote about her hero for TD Bank’s annual essay contest, “Take a Duck to Class.” She was named one of four winners, and is the first kindergarten student to win.
With her win, Moreno, 6, of Greenlawn, and her fellow classmates received a special visit from Long Island Ducks representatives and mascot QuackerJack; and TD Bank representatives, Eric Fishon and Robert Lashuk; on Jan. 26. Moreno also received a $50 Visa gift card for her accomplishment.
After learning of his daughters win, Luis said he felt humbled that she picked him as her hero.
“I was very shocked and honored that it was about me,” he said. “It was really cool.”
In the essay, Moreno, wrote, “My daddy is a hero in my community. This is because he is a fireman. Firemen drive ladder trucks and engines. They have hoses on their fire trucks that help them put out a fire. He helps me to practice fire drills at home just in case there is an emergency.”
Moreno goes on to describe a time when her mother, Lauren, was cooking and the fire alarm in their home went off. Luis quickly evacuated his family from his home to be safe.
“I forgot about the moment but it must’ve just stuck out in her mind when it happened,” Luis said. At the end of the letter, Moreno drew a figure with a hat and stripes going across the uniform, with “DADDY” written next to it.
Luis, 37, is going on his 15th year with the Centerport Fire Department and said he loves the job and the people he works with.
He added that he was drawn to the field growing up with a father who was a paramedic and his mother a nurse. At 18 years old, Luis began his volunteer efforts with the East Northport Fire Department and remained there for two years.
Jessica Jantzen, Moreno’s kindergarten teacher, said that Moreno is a “bright little girl” who is eager and an avid reader and writer.
“Her writing abilities are definitely above average,” Jantzen, of Greenlawn, said. “She’s a natural writer and she puts a lot of effort into her writing.”
Luis can support this, adding that he catches his daughter at home, writing, reading or drawing.
Thousands of students submitted their essay prompt, which asked students to write about a hero in their community in 250 words or less and submit their entries to LIDucks.com this past fall. Moreno’s essay was one that stood out and she was notified of her win in November, Jantzen said.
“Madelyn wrote about a fireman, which was great, but there was a kick to her essay because the fireman was also her dad,” Doug Cohen, the Ducks’ assistant general manager/senior vice president of sales, said. “We wanted to recognize her dad and also award Madelyn for her essay because it really impressed us.”
Cohen congratulated Moreno on her essay and gave her the opportunity to read it to her kindergarten peers during an assembly. After that, Moreno’s entire class enjoyed a private autograph session with QuackerJack in their classroom and took home gift bags filled with items.
Abigail Huners, a fourth grader at Paumanok Elementary School in Dix Hills, was also named one of the contest winners.
