Thanks to a legacy of philanthropy, preschoolers in OSU’s Child Development Laboratory have books to read this summer, back packs to take to kindergarten this fall, and special memories of a field trip to the Oregon Coast Aquarium. Megan Goss’s great grandfather would be proud of her decision to give her annual gift of $15,000 from the family foundation to benefit the young children in Kathleen McDonnell’s bilingual preschool class. The Willard L. Eccles Foundation was established by Megan’s great grandfather in 1983, creating a legacy of generosity for future generations. Family members each choose a non-profit to benefit from funding.
“For my family to be able to do this is unbelievable”, says Megan. “It feels so good to help make decisions about how the funds will be spent and assure that the kids will benefit directly.” Joanne Sorte, Director of the Child Development says they are considering “…a listening center, the addition of bilingual books to the library, geography materials, a laptop computer to support translation of parent materials, and coats and gloves to keep at school for children who forget or don’t have these.”
A high school experience helping at a neighboring elementary school 
in Bend first sparked Megan’s passion for teaching. During fall term last year, she affirmed her career while student teaching in OSU’s Child Development Laboratory. “My experience working in Kathleen McDonnell’s bilingual class convinced me I want to be a preschool teacher,” explains Megan. A senior in Human Development and Family Sciences focusing on Early Childhood Development, she plans to earn her master of arts in teaching and work with preschoolers.
