Local
Bend memorial honors Megan Lambert’s work with students and families
Hundreds gathered at Caldera High School on Oct. 24 to remember Megan Lambert, a 25-year-old teacher and volleyball coach killed in the Silver Rail Elementary School shooting. Speakers recalled her warmth, dedication to children and efforts to help families afford youth programs.
Hundreds of relatives, friends, colleagues and Bend residents gathered Saturday, Oct. 24, at Caldera High School to celebrate the life of Megan Lambert, a 25-year-old teacher and volleyball coach killed in the shooting at Silver Rail Elementary School.
Lambert was shot in a special education classroom and died alongside three students. At the service, those who knew her remembered a lively, generous educator whose work centered on helping young people feel supported and included.
Andy Young, a colleague who had also taught Lambert chemistry in high school, called her a “spark of joy” and described her as kind, outgoing and a charismatic leader.
Lambert grew up in Bend and attended schools in the Bend-La Pine district. She earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education in Boise in 2023, then spent six months in Barcelona earning certification to teach English in Spain. After returning to Bend, she worked as a substitute teacher before joining Silver Rail full time this past year.
Somer Eckert, a friend who worked with Lambert at R.A.D. Camps, an outdoor arts program for youth, said Lambert balanced high expectations with care for her students. “Her no-nonsense yet loving approach reached kids academically and let them know they mattered personally,” Eckert said. “She deserved to inspire so many more kids, and I wish the world had gotten more of that impact.”
Chance Caruso, who owns R.A.D. Camps, said he hired Lambert after meeting her and seeing her enthusiasm for youth programming. He remembered her as the first person to arrive and often the last to leave, sometimes staying so late that she set off the building’s alarm when she departed.
Lambert also coached volleyball at the Central Oregon Volleyball Club. Her family said she gave up her coaching pay during her first year so low-income families could afford club fees. The club has raised more than $23,000 for a scholarship in her memory.
Friends Lambert met while studying in Barcelona traveled from as far away as Canada and Australia to attend the service. Esther Duka, who met Lambert in Spain, said Lambert helped make her decision to move there feel worthwhile.
A slideshow of Lambert’s travels and other memories closed the gathering, accompanied by “You Are My Sunshine.” Duka told the mourners, “As long as there is love to give in the world, there must always be grief because it’s love’s natural continuation.”