Not all elementary schools have mascots, but Jefferson Elementary in Goshen, Indiana, does. The official school mascot is a tiger, but for second-graders, it is a mama duck. A female Mallard builds her nest yearly and lays eggs in the school courtyard. Once the eggs hatch, the only way to get the mama and her ducklings to the nearby pond is to lead her through the school.
Videos by InspireMore
The parade begins with a teacher ushering the mama duck and her ducklings into the school. Staff have lined the first part of the path with tables to guide the procession. Once the little marchers exit the classroom, the halls are lined with second-graders.
The children are sitting or kneeling quietly along the walls. They barely utter a peep as the duck and her babies waddle past. Mama duck leads her little ducklings with confidence. This is at least her second year at Jefferson Elementary, as she did the same thing in 2024. In the older video, there is no soundtrack overlay. Turn the volume way up, and you can hear the little “peep peep” of the chicks.
Surprisingly, Jefferson Elementary isn’t the only school that has an annual duck march. An Ontario, Canada, school has a female Mallard who lays her eggs in a corridor every year. At Ken-O-Sha Elementary School in Grand Rapids, Michigan, the school duck walk has been held annually for at least 20 years. Another duck walk takes place in Holland Heights, Michigan. At Ashburn Elementary School in Ashburn, Virginia, they have named their mama duck Star.
Animals can be amazing, and we may never know why they develop peculiar habits. These ducks seem to realize that elementary schools make safe nesting spots.
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