Oscar Gomez, ECS Board of Directors President, is a lifelong Head Start advocate. Although, his dedication to early childhood education started long before his professional career, beginning when he was a Head Start student himself.
ECS Head Start supports both children and families with wraparound services. October 2024.
In the late 80s, Oscar’s mother struggled to find childcare during the day. Her four kids were all one year apart — too young to take care of each other and of themselves. Even 40 years ago, childcare was expensive and inaccessible for a migrant field worker in California’s Central Valley. She knew she needed to find a solution. That’s when she learned about Head Start.
Offered at no cost, the local Head Start program allowed Oscar’s mother to use her income toward the family’s other needs, rather than stressing about the high price of daycare. “We were a family with little means,” Oscar shared. “Thanks to programs like Head Start... we had a good start going into kindergarten and elementary school.”
Oscar and his siblings all benefited from Head Start services. Now, they work in education or family services. 1989*
Enrollment led to many benefits for his family. Oscar and his siblings learned how to speak English at Head Start, a direct effect of the program's encouragement of bilingualism. His mother was also inspired to pursue a career in education due to Head Start's standard of parent involvement. Since then, she’s worked at various Head Start centers in California.
As for Oscar? He served in the Marine Corps for 11 years and found his true motivation. “I knew that after my service, I wanted to continue to serve my community," he said. “I knew that I wanted to help people.” After years of social work and family services, he reconnected with Head Start three decades later. While directing local parenting education programs, he realized that the most foundational impacts were made in the first five years. “The thing we need to be doing is prevention instead of intervention down the road,” he posited.
Oscar has served on the ECS Board of Directors since 2022, where his experience as a Head Start alum provides a unique perspective. May 2024.
His regard for early learning aligns with ECS Head Start programs, which meet the educational, emotional, social, health, and nutritional needs of children ages 0-5 and their families. “Head Start is a wraparound; we embrace the entire family,” Oscar said. “We want to help the social mobility of our families and make it where they have an opportunity because they know that their kiddos are getting high-quality care.” This dedication supports the crucial groundwork needed for each child to thrive as they grow and move through the world, like Oscar and his family.
Oscar used the strong foundation built by Head Start to dedicate himself to a lifetime of education and service. He holds two master’s degrees — one in social work and another in public administration. Currently, he is the Chief Operations Officer of Ronald McDonald House Charities San Diego where he continues his work in family services. Oscar has also served on the ECS Board of Directors since 2022 and was recently appointed Board President, guiding the organization from its 99th anniversary to its centennial celebration in 2027.
Oscar will serve as Board President and guide ECS through its centennial in 2027. July 2026.
Oscar offers a unique perspective as a Head Start alumnus, saying: “Head Start’s been a program that’s done a lot for my family, and this is my way of giving back... to something that means so much to me and that gave my family a way to get started in life.”
October is Head Start Awareness Month. Oscar's enrollment in Head Start changed his future for the better and ECS believes this outcome is possible for all Head Start students. Learn more about ECS Head Start and enroll today.
*Caption date may not be exact