UM-St. Louis' Child Development Center Receives Gift
The University Child Development Center at the University of Missouri-St. Louis received a $15,000 donation Oct. 12 from Ronald McDonald House Charities of Metro St. Louis. The gift will assist in funding the construction of a new outdoor learning environment for children of the center, ages six months to three years.
Lynn Navin, director of the center, said the gift is greatly appreciated.
“We’re so excited to be able to replace our 15-year-old playground,” Navin said. “The new outdoor learning system will feature nine distinct play areas, and it will be ADA compliant.”
The center, located on UM-St. Louis' South Campus, is fully licensed and the only state- and nationally-accredited early care and education program in the St. Louis area. The UCDC provides students from UM-St. Louis' College of Education with the opportunity to serve as interns at the center each semester. Nearly 30 students graduate from the college’s Early Childhood Education program annually.
Pictured are (l to r): James Williams, McDonald’s owner and Ronald McDonald House Charities of Metro St. Louis board member; Lynn Navin, director of the University Child Development Center at UM-St. Louis; Steffanie Rockette, chair of the UCDC Advisory Committee at UM-St. Louis; and Harold Dortch, McDonald’s general manager.